YouTube Outcast Legends: Enter the Dark
by CosmoK13
Summary: Kate Leer, aka CosmoK13, had always loved the idea of being a Youtuber! Until she starts dreaming about Markiplier being killed in his own manor. Cosmo is thrown into a dream state by a supernatural entity and now she must do her best to battle against the demonic being all while trying to keep balance in her real life. Season one of YouTube Outcast Legends. Cover art done by Tetra
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The chill of the early summer air brushed past me as I rode home from the college campus. It was supposed to be a half moon tonight, which was a relief to many. No one could blame them, especially with the weird phenomenons that go on whenever the moon reaches its' full potential. I soon made my way up the driveway towards the house that I lived in. It was the home me and my parents shared, before the incident only two years ago. Placing my bike in the shed, I grabbed my bag and the keys in my pocket to unlock the door. Upon entering, the whole house was engulfed in blackness. The curtains and shades of the windows drawn, the door leading downstairs was opened and as soon as I shut the door behind me, a little black pug made his way down the stairs to yap at my entrance. I giggle as I leaned down to rub his fur and kiss his nose. "Hey buddy, how are you doing?" I asked him, to which he replied with another yap. "Alright, alright. I'll put my stuff away, take you out and get you some dinner." And that was what I did. Heading upstairs and turning towards the left, I entered the door closest to the end and opened it, to reveal my teal and green colored room. Placing my bag down, I headed back to the entrance to deliver my promise to Oliver, my pug. This had become my routine for my life; get up, get ready and head off to college, come back to take care of Oliver, eat dinner, and do some homework before bed. At least that was my schedule for about half a year.

Once Oliver and I came back in after he did his business, I walked upstairs to get him his dinner of dry food with some biscuits in the mix. My dad taught me that he would like the food better and actual eat it this way. Satisfied with how he was enjoying his meal, I began making dinner for myself. Deciding to go with steaks for tonight, I preheat the oven and went to the fridge to take out the steaks. As I reached for the cabinet to decide whether I should go with stuffing or potatoes for a side dish, the lights in the kitchen went out. Frozen in place, I listened to the menacing voice approaching.

" **I closed my eyes for one second and you tried to betray me."**

I turned around and saw behind me the one who had said that. A tall man with black hair that fell to his left side of his face. He had a white dress shirt and black dress pants. I rolled my eyes and glared at him. "Dark, seriously?"

"Come now, Child. I was only making sure that I still had the element of surprise."

"It's less surprising if you do this every time I come back home."

It was his turn to glare at me. "Would it kill you to at least pretend to be somewhat scared of me? Do you even know who I am? What I am?"

"You are Dark and you are my house guest!" I answered his rhetorical question as I crossed my arms over my chest. "And trust me, I'm more likely to die in a car accident than by your hands. Now, unless you want to hunt your dinner tonight, you can either help me with dinner, which I know you won't, or you can play with Oliver to keep him out of the kitchen."

Dark muttered to himself as he walked past me to pick up Oliver. He then walked downstairs with the dog as I began to get the potatoes ready. You'd think that after living with me for almost two months, he would have some decency to help out around the house more often. Then again, being some form of monster, I suppose that would be asking too much. Still, he's been living with me for quite a while now and no one knows about him.

Soon dinner was done, and I made a plate for Dark and left it on the counter. Making my own plate and grabbing a glass of milk, I headed to my room to eat while doing my homework. We pretty much never really ate together, since it would just be awkward eating without much to talk about. This was also part of my routine. I would cook dinner for both me and Dark and we would eat in different rooms. Usually he would eat in the living room and watch TV or he would just guzzle his food whole and leave the plate spotless. For me, I eat in my room and take a look at the homework I have to do or study. Once I ate, I would head back in the kitchen and clean up, because Dark never does. Then I would head back to my room and finish up my homework, If I had enough time, I would usually work on some animation projects or even some of my stories. But I typically save those for the weekend because I have more free time to do it. So after I'm done with school stuff, I take a shower and head off to bed with Oliver. I don't have to worry about Dark, he does his own thing. I've stopped worrying about him since the first week. It gets me nowhere to put up a fight with him.

I finished my steak and headed back to the kitchen with my plate and cup. I see that Dark just ate the food and left in a hurry. I quickly washed the dishes and clean up the kitchen before going back to my room. I didn't have much homework for once so I just spent the evening lying on my bed and playing one of my games. I didn't have enough motivation to work on an animation or story today. I seem to be lacking that trait a lot lately. I guess I just have a lot on my mind that it's hard for me to find time for my hobbies. It's times like this I miss my simple life, before… well everything.

A couple of hours have passed since I ate dinner. The battery on my Nintendo Switch was getting low and I was feeling tired anyways. I figured I would call it a night so I placed the device on its charger and went to my dresser to get myself my nightwear for my shower. I walked out of my room and was turning to head to the bathroom next door, but I stopped in my tracks as I saw Dark standing near the open patio door. His tall back towards me as he stared out into the darkness that was the night. I looked at the clock on the oven and saw that it was past nine. I walked up to him until I was only a few feet from where he stood. "Dark?" he turned to face me, his face was long yet very serious and even cunning. Still, his red eyes that were held in black sockets gazed at me. "Are you heading out?"

He doesn't say anything, only nods. He walked out onto the deck and hopped over the beams with such agility. He dashes off into the night through the backyards of the neighborhood. I sigh as I close the door and lock it. I don't have to worry about locking him out, he always finds a way in. I just have to lock the other ones out. Turning around on my heels, I head to the bathroom and take my shower. As the water beats down on me, all I can do is just think about Dark's face as he was leaving. He does this every night. I tell him that he shouldn't worry. He needs to keep a low profile to not just my kind, but his as well. I get it, he can't stay in my house all the time, he needs to get out now and then. But there are times when I do worry he won't be able to come home. That I might wake up one day and find that he hasn't returned. I would go searching for him only to find his corpse all torn up and beaten to the point I wouldn't be able to recognize him. I shudder just thinking about what I would do or how I would react should that ever become reality. I know what he is, I know he can take care of himself. But I also know that there are those that could be stronger than him.

I finished my shower and put on my pajamas. I walked to my room after my nightly routine of brushing my teeth and washing my face. Oliver is already waiting for me on the bed, nestled in the sheets. I kiss him again and smile at those brown eyes that are so innocent and blissful. He's the only family I have left and yet he can't truly be there to comfort me. He didn't know what was going on or how to feel. He was an animal that couldn't talk to me or give me advice. While it was nice to have him give me some pity like putting his face on my lap, it's not the same as human sympathy. Dark doesn't get emotions, but at least he can be there for me when I need him. I know you all are probably confused about a lot of things. Such as, who exactly is Dark and where did he come from? What exactly is he and why is he living with me? Well, it's kind of a long story. And I mean a whole year and a half a year long.

I turned off my lamp on my bed stand and lay in my bed, having my phone set my alarm. As my eyelids close over my sockets, memories of the first encounter with Dark as well as that moment that changed my life come flooding through me like a damn after it bursts.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

So, before I tell you how I actually met Dark, there's a few things you need to know about me. First off, my name is Cosmo. My real name is Kate Leer, but I would prefer to be called Cosmo by my friends and audience. Right now I'm 18 years old and am attending college to try and major in animation and writing. I have… had a family. I had a mom and a dad. I do have a brother and a sister as well, but I'll get to that later. I was the youngest in the family so naturally I was spoiled. And as fate would have it, I also have autism. It's not that bad, I'm actually on the high end of the scale, meaning I can still function but I do have complications. Such as I have high OCD and I can become filled with anxiety at times. Over the years I've learned to control it, but it does get the best of me at times. I believe my worst case is the fact that I find it hard to make friends. I mean, I like being by myself so it didn't bother me at times. And I do have some friends, though they're far away so we usually just chat on our phones. But the other kids always mocked me because I never really liked to participate in their activities. Hence why I never look forward to group projects. So, for the most part I just kept to myself. It's not like I don't try! I try to make people laugh but they usually laugh at me than with me. I attempt to bring up topics of interest, but it seems I'm the only one that finds interest in them and not many other people.

Despite the lack of social interactions, we still had a good life. My mom and dad didn't always get along, but they had to make sacrifices for my sake. They had planned on getting me special services when I turned 18 so I would be able to get some money from the state. It would only be temporary of course, just until I finished college and got a steady job. That was supposed to be the plan, but something happen when it was only two months after my 17th birthday.

I stared at the small house before me as I sat at the back of the pick-up truck that my dad drove us here in. The house I was staring at seemed tiny on the outside, but when you went inside it was a lot bigger than you would think. It was a late night in August when it happened. I looked over at the porch where my mother was talking to my brother. My brother had turned 21 a few months ago, back in early spring. He and a friend of his, Jace, had decided to buy a house together so they could live together. It seemed like a good idea because my mother wanted him to get out of the house and start college soon and my brother wanted more independence. I was envious of him, knowing that he could be trusted enough to not only buy his own place but be able to live in it with his friends. A part of me knew at the time it would seem that would be impossible for me to do. Still, not all of it was bad. That meant I wouldn't be woken up in the middle of the night due to my brother screaming at his games. So, I suppose there were some positives to the whole situation.

I wasn't sure how long I stared at the house in the driveway, but I knew that I snapped out of my trance when some footsteps made their way towards me. I turned my head and I saw my father standing there, his goofy grin that I had gotten from him. "Hey bug," I cringe at the nickname he gave me but put on a smile nonetheless. "What are you doing?"

Part of me wanted to say 'Just waiting to go home', and another part said I was watching the sky. But I ended up shrugging and told him I was doing nothing. He laughed and looked at the house with me. "Can you believe that your brother is finally moving out? It seems just like yesterday the two of you were starting off your first day of elementary school. But now, he's moving here with his friend and you're going to be graduating this year."

"Yeah dad, I know." I sighed as I knew where this was going. I get that as the baby of the family, your high school graduation means a lot to your parents. To me, it just filled me with anxiety. I didn't know what life for me was going to be like after I leave high school. Sure, I had a plan but I wasn't sure where or how I would get there. It scared me, but I didn't want to tell my parents because they were already worried about me enough. And with my brother moving out and my last year of high school, they had enough on their plate to deal with. Besides, I was sure that I could handle my future, as long as my folks could give me a small push. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed my parents to guide me. But at the same time I wanted to try things my own way.

"Well, we should be just about ready to leave." My dad looked in the back of the truck and saw one last box on its lonesome. "How about you take the box in to your brothers room?"

I turned my head to look at the box. It was small and when I reached over onto the bed of the vehicle and grabbed it, it was light enough for me to hold. I looked back at my dad and nodded, following his instructions. I walked through the driveway and towards the porch as I listened to the conversation between my other parent and brother.

"Are you sure you have everything that you need?" my mother asked as she had a concern smile on her face.

"I'll be fine mom, Jace and I will unpack everything and I'll call you in the morning to tell you how everything went." My brother promised her. "You two should be getting on home here pretty soon, tonight is supposed to be another Blood Moon. You know what that means."

"Again with that nonsense, it's just kids playing pranks." My mom rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious mom, you've seen the news. Bad things happen on this night." My brother tried to warn my mom about this, but it was clear she wasn't that interested in his talking. The Blood Moon is referring to the moon when it's at its fullest. No one is sure why or how, but a few months prior to that night, there was a Lunar Eclipse. It was pretty cool to say the least. Looking out at the moon as it was a red color that looked more like a soft sun without the blazing light. But, the weird thing was, that wasn't the last time we saw a lunar eclipse. Every time there was a full moon, instead of a bright planet that gently shown down in your darkest hour, all that was in the sky was a crimson sphere that brought misfortune and even death. While lunar eclipses aren't as rare as people think, there has been one every month. No one really minded it for a while, they just brushed it off. But strange occurrences started to happen. Missing people reports, monster and supernatural sightings, full blown massacres and people who started to attack large crowds happened during these nights. It was like when you stepped into the light of the moon's blood, you would become… different. I didn't really pay much attention to it until that night though.

I finally went passed my mother and brother and headed inside the house. I went through the entry way and passed the living room that had a divider to separate it from the kitchen. I turn down left from the kitchen to go down a hallway. Two doors on one side and a single on the other. I headed down to the farthest room out of them all and entered. This room was my brother's room. The walls were still bare, the furniture and his bed was in here but it was all piled up against a wall and boxes were all over the place. He'd be doing the unpacking, it was his room after all. I set the box down where the others were and took one last look at this room that would be my brother's. I should have known this day would come, but now that it was here it was hard to admit the reality. A small smile plastered itself on my lips. All I could do was wish my brother luck and hope for the best for him. I walked out of the room and hoped that we would be heading home soon so I could go online and chat with my friends. As I stepped through the door, I bumped into someone. I took a step back from the impact and looked up to see who it was that I made contact with. My face instantly turned red as I looked up to see dark messy hair with icy eyes staring at me. A smiling face stared down at me. "Oh hey, you're Dave's little sister right?"

I could only nod, hoping I wouldn't say or do anything to embarrass myself. This guy is Jace, my brother's friend that he was moving in with. The two of them have been friends since middle school, but I've only know him for about two years in person. The first time I saw him, I thought he was really hot. I've had this crush on him for a while now, but I knew that it would be weird if I had a relationship with my brother's own friend! Not to mention he was five years older than me and I wasn't even eighteen yet. "So," he looked at me as he placed a hand on his hip. "What do you think of the place? Pretty neat huh?"

"O-oh yeah! I think you two picked out a great place!" I rubbed the back of my head as I tried not to show off my red face. "I'm sure I'll… we'll come over often to check up on you two. Not that you need any checking up, you're way more mature than my brother! But ah…we'll be in the neighborhood. So…"

"You should probably head back to your folks. I think they're ready to leave." Jace told me.

"Oh… right, don't want to keep them waiting. I'll see you later, pal!" I laughed and walked down the hallway. Cringing at calling Jace pal. I was never good when it came to flirting with guys that I love. I could talk to guys that are my friends or whom I'm related to. I guess that's the worst part about having social issues, it's hard to form relationships when you want them. I soon made it outside where my dad was already in the truck. My mom was still talking to my brother, but she was by the vehicle so it looked like we were going to be leaving. I hopped in the car behind the driver's seat and waited for mom. After a few minutes, she finally got into her seat.

"Make sure to call me tomorrow once everything is set up."

"I know mom."

"And I'll come over once you're done to make sure you did a thorough cleaning!"

"Okay mom, you can go now!" My brother said with annoyance.

"He'll be fine, dear." My dad assured my mom.

My mom sighed and looked back over at my brother. "We love you, and don't be afraid to call us if you need anything."

"I will mom." My brother smiled as we drove off into the night. It was about an hour drive from our house to my brother's new place, as long as we didn't hit traffic. For the first ten minutes of the ride, my folks were just talking about the new place my brother was moving into and how they both listed the pros and the cons about the living arrangements as well as the roommate. It was just boring adult stuff, so I plugged in my headphones and listened to my music. I usually did this on a lot of car rides, plugging in my music and watching the scenery go by. To me, it was relaxing and it was like a gateway to my own world. I looked up into the night sky to see the Blood Moon spreading it's crimson light through the darkness. I try not to look but there is something that keeps compelling me to get a glance now and then.

I stared out to see the world pass me by. I'm not sure why, but every time we go somewhere, I made sure that I was aware of some of the important landmarks. That way I knew how far or near we are from home. I noticed right away when we took a different turn than the one we went when coming here. I took out my earbuds to listen to what my folks were saying.

"Damn road construction! Who works this late on such a project anyways?!" My dad cursed as he drove.

"I don't understand why they need to do any construction at all. The roads were just fine." My mom rolled her eyes.

I leaned back against the window and put in my earphones again. Looks like this detour will take us a while. I stared back out the window as we kept going. I wasn't sure when, but we soon came to a long stretch of road with cornfields on either side of us. My mom always hated cornfields because she was scared the "Children of the Corn" would get her. It was kind of ironic how something she feared so much that was fictional ended up being her demise. I watched out into the fields now and then, just imaging some kids walking out and trying to attack us. I laughed then, but that was before I saw something strange. I saw two red orbs in the corn stalks. I sat up in my seat and watched as they passed us by. I thought I was seeing things, that maybe I was tired and the horror stories and the eerie music that was playing in my ears were getting to me. I looked back up at the red moon, it's blood captivating me as I got lost in its color. It was so strange… yet so beautiful.

I was brought out of my trance when the truck came to a sudden stop. I looked from where I was to see my dad honking his horn. I unplugged my earphones and listened. I saw a strange figure a couple of feet from the truck, his back was turned against us but I couldn't get too good of a look at him, despite the headlights.

"What the hell is this guy's problem?! He's not moving!" My dad kept honking the horn, but got no response.

"Is he trying to get run over?" my mother looked over at my father.

My dad unbuckled himself and got out of the car. "I'm gonna force him to move!"

"Dad…" I try to call out. I don't know why, but I felt this was a bad idea. After all, I've seen way too many horror movies to know that this scene looked suspicious. He didn't listen though as he was already out and walking towards the figure. He yelled at him to get out of the street, even threatening him. But the figure wouldn't move, so my dad went closer. My heart was pounding just watching the scene. I had my phone ready on me to call for help if we had to. I saw my dad take one step closer, and that was when it happened. The figure reached out with it's hand and plunged his fingers into my dad's chest. My eyes went wide and my mouth was agape, but no scream came out. I watched as the creature tore into my father's flesh and ripped out his heart! I could still see it beating in the creature's hands. He fell to the ground, and the creature put the organ in his mouth. I was hyperventilating at the scene. That thing wasn't human! And it killed my father! My mother only screamed as she moved to the driver's seat and put her feet on the pedal. She turned the truck around and drove off from the scene. We didn't get very far though. I could hear the creature as it landed on the roof of the car, tearing off the top. My mom spun the truck around to shake it off, but it was in vain as we drove right into the cornfield. I watched as the creature took my mom from the seat and held her above me. I unbuckled and unlocked the door. Getting out of the car only to look back and watch as the creature tore my mother in half by pulling her apart. Her top half fell onto the road and I watched as the eyes in her face were draining of life. They stared at me, telling me to run. I couldn't move… I couldn't scream. The music was still playing, but I couldn't listen to it. The whole truck, the road around us, the smell of blood filled my nose and I think some of it even got onto me. The entrails and the bones from my mom's top half were dangling out from her ripped up body. I looked over to where my father was and saw the blood oozing from his chest like a fountain of crimson. I wanted to gag, I should have! But I was too scared. I didn't want to process what was going on because I knew that if I did,it would be the reality sinking in.

I eventually found the strength in me to move my feet. I ran, straight into the cornfield to cover me. To get away from the horror, the monster, the harsh truth. I somehow had the courage, or maybe the idiocy, to look back at the scene. I saw the monster feasting upon my parents' organs like they were part of a buffet. I think it was even eating the bones as well! I will never forget what I saw, a naked figure that was black as the night itself, hairless with crimson sockets and sharp fangs. I thought it was going to chase after me and cut me open, just as it did to my parents. But it went back to its meal, like it didn't want the corpses to go to waste.

I didn't know how long I ran for, or how I managed to run so fast, but I was able to distance myself from the scene. I also somehow managed to get back to my house where Oliver was waiting for me. I locked all the doors and windows, closed all the blinds, and hid in my room under my bed. Oliver was good enough to sleep under the bed, but I didn't get a wink of sleep that night. I kept my eyes on the door, wondering if that thing would hunt me down and come into my room. I hoped that it would be too occupied with my parents that he would forget about me, as terrible as it sounded. When the morning light came through my window, I looked out but saw no sign of the creature. I was relieved that I was safe, but it was only for a split second. Then I broke down and cried in my room that morning as the images of last night came flooding through my mind. I had prayed that my parents were awake and would come into my room to see what was wrong. To comfort me and assure me that what I saw was a nightmare. But the longer I cried and no one came to check on me, the more of the terrible reality had sunken in. My parents weren't coming to check on me because they weren't in the house.

Things only got worse after that. Eventually the police came by to inform me about my parents' car and… the scene. I told them what I saw and what happened. Strangely enough, they seemed to have believed me. I guess with all of this strangeness that's been happening these last few months they thought anything was possible. My brother and sister heard what had happened. My brother came to check on me because my sister was off on her honeymoon with her wife in California. They tried to comfort me but the damage had already been done. He asked me about the incident, but I told him what I told the police before I broke down. My brother and Jace were kind enough to take care of me until I graduated high school. After the ceremony, we were left to question what to do. I didn't want to bother my brother anymore and he didn't want to take care of me. So, he agreed to be my guardian and to sign me up to give me cash from the state every month. He and his friend paid for the house and I would stay there. I would go to college and get myself a degree to work my way up to a job. My sister was hesitant about the idea, but my brother told her I was more than capable of fending for myself. I didn't mind. I preferred to be alone for a while anyways. I wanted to clear my mind. I knew it was a bad idea to be by myself, especially after that night. But perhaps the real reason I wanted to live without anyone else in that house… was because I didn't want to lose anyone else. At least, that was what I told myself. I'm not so sure if that is true anymore. I don't know what to think is real anymore…

Every week my brother comes in to check on me and make sure I'm doing well. I haven't told him about Dark. In fact, I haven't told anyone about him! If my siblings ever found out about him, they would freak out and would probably get themselves killed. So I had to make sure Dark wasn't around when my brother would visit. Luckily, that has never been a problem. So, for the last year and a half of my life, it was pretty normal to say the least. I was able to make up my own routine, attend college, and hang out with my friends and family whenever I could. I'll admit, it did get lonely living by myself in that big house. Being reminded of my deceased parents and the night terrors of that terrible ambush. But I just couldn't live with anyone again after that night. I had to start living on my own, I needed to be independent. I realized that I had been babied by my folks for too long, and it made me feel I always had to have someone by my side to take care of me. But not anymore, this was my life now. And I had to decide how to live it.

18 months after the death of my parents, that's when it started. That's when I met Dark. I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was the middle of April, I had my last class for the day so I packed up my things and left the classroom. I walked out of the hallways, my mind focused more on the direction I was taking than the people around me. They never really cared about me anyways, I was a wallflower here. It's not like I care about what they think. They could call me weird or even a freak but because I don't know them, it made no difference. Walking out the door, I hopped on my bike and rode off from the campus. The sky was clear and there was just a slight breeze in the air as I rode off. It was Friday so I didn't have any school tomorrow. Which meant I had time to work on a small project of mine. After heading home and dropping off my stuff, I played with Oliver for a bit. Then I went across the street to talk with my neighbor, an elderly man who had a dog of his own. I told him I would be heading off on an errand for a bit so I asked him if he could take care of Oliver for me for a while. He was a kind retired fellow who loved dogs. His wife and him usually spend their time home together and since they had their own dog, they opened up a doggy daycare. Sure I had to pay them, but Oliver was able to be social and happy, unlike me.

Once I dropped him off, I grabbed my other bag and rode off on my bike. Driving further into the woods, passing by trees and greenery everywhere. I'm more of an indoor person, but once in a while I just want to get out and experience nature. It took me about an hour to reach where I needed to go. But when I got there, the trip was worth it. I tossed my bike to a bush nearby and covered it up so no one but I could find it. Clutching the sash of my bag, I walked up to my destination. Before me, there was a tall mansion with black and gray coating. It sure had a gothic look to it, with its busted up roof and walls, boarded up windows and door and the dead plants around the garden. The place had been abandoned for years. I found this place a months ago when I was taking a bike ride through the woods. I usually go biking in the morning or in the daytime, since that was when it was the most safe nowadays. I ended up getting lost in the woods on my way to college and I stumbled upon these ruins. I was a bit nervous when I first encountered them. I actually expected some demon or ghost to have appeared. Which sounded more terrifying back then. I looked around the place cautiously, only around the building. I was too scared to actually venture inward. The closest I ever got was looking inside through the large window on the first floor. The place was deserted, but not empty. There was some furniture in there, but most of it was pretty much rotten and eaten away by bugs. It was then I knew that no one inhabited this house. So I was safe, but I didn't feel that way. I left shortly after that conclusion, but returned the next day. This time, I actually went inside to see for myself.

I had my phone ready to call 911 in case of an emergency and a flashlight with me. I went when it was midday, but just in case, I wanted a source of light. I felt like I was Nancy Drew and was looking through this old house of one of her victims to find a clue. After a careful search, I was happy to say that the place had no resistance at all. And then I thought to myself that if I cleaned up a bit and got some new furniture, this would be a pretty cool place to hang out.

Ever since then, I've been coming here to try and get away from my boring college life for an hour or two. I usually head back home before the sun sets, fearful that this place would attract some unwanted guest. Still, in the daytime, it wasn't too bad. Actually, it gave me some inspiration for my next project.

See, I'm going to college to major in animation and writing. It's always been a dream of mine to write my own stories and bring them to life through moving pictures. I've already had a few ideas for some stories in mind, and have been working hard on them. Well, maybe not as hard as I should be, but I know that with the right motivation and a good fan base, they were sure to take off! For now, all I can do is work hard to get my major in it, to prove I was qualified to start on my own! During that time, my homework assignment from that class was to try and make a scary animation by the end of the semester and show it to the class. We were to be graded on originality, smooth artwork and the frames it took, as well as the movement speed. So, at the time, I was sketching out the layout of the house in my artbook. I was going to make it the setting for the project. I was still trying to figure out what I was going to make it about, but as long as I had a base for the scenery, I figured it was a good start. I had already done the outside sketches, so I came back that day to work on the sketches on the inside. I would take pictures and then draw down what I could. A lot of people, mostly my family and friends, have been telling me that my drawings were really well done. Though, I always thought it was because they were being nice to me. Still, I have been trying to work on my drawing skills for a few years now, and I think I've gotten somewhat better.

It was that day that changed everything, though I didn't know it at the time. It seemed like any normal day for me. I went up the stairs to finish sketching the final level of the house. I placed myself on the floor and took out my pad and pencil and started drawing. Occasionally, I would look up to make sure my surroundings never changed and that I knew what I was sketching. As I was outlining the empty pictures on the walls, I was mentally pondering what my animation was going to be about. I had originally thought that it would be a scenario where a person or a group would enter and would explore to find some clue and then they would get chased by some monster. But then again, that seemed way too much like a Scooby Doo plot. I also had an idea about a girl that would enter into the building to read some vampire novel, only to be apprehended by an actual one. For some reason, I've always been a sucker for vampire books and movies, even if they were kind of cheesy. As I thought about that plot, it seemed too clichéd as well. I wanted something original, something that would really make this short stand out! I just didn't know what at the time.

I spent the last hour just drawing the hallway of this area I was in. All I had to do was the two rooms up here and I would have enough background to work with. Tucking my book and pencil case in my arm, I walked over to the closest door and opened it, expecting nothing out of the ordinary. In this room, there was just a bed, a window, and a closet. Seemed kind of bland, but with the conditions this place was in I wasn't surprised. I set myself down and started drawing the room. Already, I could feel shivers running down my spine just being in here, imagining what my characters would be doing right now or how they would feel upon entering this room. That is, if I would incorporate this room in said animation. I thought at the time I wouldn't be using all these scenes, but it was a good idea to get the whole house, just to see what I could work with.

As I finished sketching the bed, I noticed as I looked up from the paper that there was something different about the room. I scanned the whole area around me to try and figure out what it was. At first, I thought it was just my paranoia. It had spiked steadily ever since that night when my parents died. I did notice, however, that the room around me appeared to be… darker? Which was weird because it was still daytime out. I even checked my phone to make sure that it was only half past four. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, that it was just the large trees outside covering the sun to make the room more blackened. I clutched my chest as my heart skipped a beat. My breath caught in my throat as I heard some tapping outside. Not outside the house, outside the room in the hallway. I turned my head and looked at the door as the tapping was becoming louder, drawing closer to me. Someone was here! Someone was coming! I grabbed my stuff and looked around for protection. I looked at the boarded up window and thought about climbing out the room. But we were on the second floor, and I didn't want to risk having a broken neck! I looked at the closet. It was small, but it could probably fit me. There was also the bed. It was fairly large so hiding under it would be easy. I made my choice and dove under the bed as the beating of my heart increased with each passing footstep.

I positioned myself under the bed and looked out to see what was going on. The door swung open, and all I could see were two feet and black dress pants. The feet moved into the room and turned to face the closet. I watched as the doors to the wardrobe opened and was glad I didn't hide in there. The one standing at the closet shed off a black dress coat with a white shirt, then the black dress pants came off, revealing black boxer shorts. Judging from the underwear and the toned muscles, the person was a guy. He was putting away the clothes he had on in the closet and shut the doors. I thought that that was all he was going to do, that he would leave and I could get out of here. But to my horror, those feet started dragging him to the bed. I covered my mouth and nose with both my hands, to keep in the breathing and the panicked pants. The feet stopped just at the bedpost and my eyes wavered in fear as a sinking feeling crawled its way towards my brain. I thought, at that very second, that this man would look under the bed and see me. Whatever he would do to me afterwards, I didn't want to imagine. I know it sounded silly, that this was probably just a misunderstanding. There was a small part of me that believed this man was probably homeless and that he was only crashing here for the night or something. But no homeless man could have clothes that fancy. At least, none that I knew. I couldn't tell who it was, exactly, just by the legs alone. Even if, say, he was from my college or neighborhood, I probably wouldn't even recognize him since I never really pay attention to the faces of people around me aside from my friends and family. Maybe there was also the possibility that he was just a normal guy that was hanging out here like I was. And that if I showed myself, we both would have a good laugh and one of us would be on our merry way. But that wasn't the case. Because as those feet were so close to me, the whole bed felt like ice. I did my best to not chatter my teeth from the cold. And it felt like the darkness was closing in on me as the room became blacker than when I first came here.

I watched as the feet stood on the floor near the bed for a whole minute. Wondering when this man was going to just look under the bed to see me and just get this anticipation over with! Luck was on my side, though, as the feet climbed up onto the mattress and the body pressed against the foam. I waited and listened for what was to come next. I don't know how long I had waited, I didn't dare move one inch. I thought that as soon as I even made the faintest twitch, the one above me would notice my presence and I would be done for. I had to wait until the right moment to get out of there. It felt like an eternity, but when I heard snoring from the bed, I knew my time was now. I slowly crawled out of the bed and grabbed my stuff. Standing up, I looked around the room. It was pitch black, so it was difficult for me to see. I raised my hand to my face and could barely make the outline. But I had to get out of there. I couldn't wait any longer! I tiptoed to where the door was located. Lucky for me that I knew this place well, so the light wasn't an issue. And it was also lucky for me that the man left the door open when he came in here. I snuck out into the hallway and looked into the room again. No movement from the one on the bed, meaning I was safe. I don't know why, but I was compelled to close the door to the room. Perhaps it was to try and give me some time or protection against the man if he followed me. When the door shut, I let out a small sigh of relief. Though I wasn't in the clear yet, I was just happy to be out of that dark room. Kind of ironic how my biggest fear ended up becoming my friend later, huh?

As I was now in the hallway, the lighting was a bit better, but I could still barely see. I looked out the window on the floor and gasped when I realized that it was already night outside! I checked my phone and saw that it was about five minutes to ten. I had to get out of here fast! I didn't care if I was quiet or not, I rushed down the spiral stairs with my stuff and ran right to the exit! I burst open the doors and ran through the garden to where my bike was. Brushing away the leaves and twigs. I looked back to make sure that whoever came into the room didn't follow after me. I didn't see anyone, so I was safe. I hopped on the seat of my bike and placing the bag over my shoulders, I was about to ride off and head home. But as I placed my feet on the pedals, something strange happened. I… heard something. It sounded like rubble shattering. I whipped my head back to the house and looked through the window into the room I was just in. There was a red light that flashed for just a moment. I blinked, did I really just see that? My mind was probably playing tricks on me, right? That's what I thought, until I heard something now. It was a loud scream like pitch. I covered my ears to protect myself from the shriek. It only lasted a moment though, but then another one followed. I looked back at the house and noticed that parts of the roof were caving in and fell into the building.

Just what the heck was happening? I was hearing and seeing things that I couldn't describe at the moment. I should have left, I know it was idiotic of me to stay where I was. Because if there was something that was causing a ruckus in that old house, there was a chance I could get involved and get hurt. But at the same time, my curiosity was taking control of my body as I stood where I was and watched the house. I was expecting to see more, I needed to know what was going on but I had to stay safe. Another shirek pierced my ears from inside the house and I heard more crashing. I looked into the window of the living room and saw two figures. They were probably the ones causing the strange phenomenon and destroying the house. Placing my bike in the bushes, I got closer behind a tree and looked in the window to see what was going on. I saw red and green clashing with each other. Red beams fired at the green figure and green waves of a scream went for the red figure. My heart was beating just watching the action these two were taking. I stepped backwards as red energy blasted through the roof and caused what little of the foundation that was left to fall inwards. Another shirek from the green figure came out and I looked to see. The whole house was destroyed, I could see the figures in the living room clearly now. Though they were still a bit far away so I could only make out some details.

One of them was half naked and had long fingers that resembled claws more than anything else. I could make out pointy ears as well. The other had on a tie and dress pants. He also had some horns on his forehead, but one of them was broken. There was no doubt about it, these two were demons. But why were they fighting? Did it even matter? All demons and monsters knew was to kill and feast. But… they did that to humans, why do it to each other? Perhaps they were defending their territory? Demons are kind of like animals in a sense, from what I know. All I could do was watch behind the tree as what was going on unleashed before my eyes. The green figured admitted even more shrieks of pain everywhere. The figure in red dodge his attack and aimed at the green one, only for it to miss. But the red figure jumped the green one behind, grabbing him by the neck and punching his face six times before he tossed him to the rubble. He approached the one on the ground and lifted his palm up, admitting a ball of red fire. He tossed it at him, but the other figure jumped high in the air and dove down to give the other a punch of his own. But the red figure phased into the ground and the green one only punched the floor, causing a bunch of dust to form around the area. I coughed up a bunch of it as it attempted to enter my lungs. With the dust, it was even harder to make out what was happening. I looked over, but all I could see was one of them punching the air until his fist caught something. The two figures leaped until they were about a yard away from each other. Using their full powers, they blasted at each other. Green sound waves versus red fire. The impact of the two caused a large flash that blinded me for a long moment. As it subsided, my eyes tried to adjust themselves. I looked over to see what was left of the battle.

The one with the pointy ears stood up, limping as he looked around. He was clearly hurt, but he seemed to have been happy. Perhaps he thought he had won the battle and his foe was defeated. But he was checking the rubble, as if to make sure. The more I watched, the more my brain told me to get out of there now while I still had the chance. And I listened to it. Reaching for the handles, I hopped on my bike and thought that now that the show was over, there was no reason for me to stick around. Especially if one of them worked up an appetite. I pedaled so fast, my feet acted like lead as I rode off through the woods. My destination was home, I didn't look back. I should have made sure I wasn't being followed, but at the same time I didn't want to face the monsters that were attacking each other either. I made it back to my neighborhood and went to the doggy daycare to pick up Oliver. Luckily he had worn himself out, so taking him home was easy.

Upon entering my house, I did the same procedure I took after my parents died. I locked up all the windows and doors, headed to my room and hid under the bed. I couldn't sleep peacefully in case one of them saw me. Though it was unlikely, I still couldn't take any chances. I snuggled with Oliver under the bed and watched my door for anyone to come in. I didn't even last two hours before sleep took over my body.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I woke up the next morning when the sun cascaded down onto my plush floor. I opened my eyes and slowly got out from under the bed. The door to my room was still closed, so I let out a sigh of relief. Once again, I had been spared by the fate of dealing with monsters and demons head on. I looked at my clock to see what time it was, but then I remembered that it didn't matter because I didn't have any classes today anyways. Stretching my arms and yawning, I walked out of my room to make myself some breakfast. I didn't feel like eating much, just some toast and Sunny D. After what I saw last night, I didn't want to risk feeding my stomach too much. Sure, it wasn't really gruesome, as far as I saw. But I suppose it was more of the fact that I didn't want to get an upset stomach just thinking about it. Thinking that those two monsters could be barging down my door and kill me right then and there. Just the thought of it made me nervous, who wouldn't be? My toast popped up and I spread some grape jelly on the pieces. I ate in silence as Oliver munched on his own food.

As I ate my toast and looked around the kitchen and living room, I couldn't help but find how ironic my surroundings were. Ever since I entered high school, I would be the first one up and would eat breakfast. I ate all by myself in the mornings on the days I had school. And now that it was just me, it seemed like I was lost in time. Like a part of me believed that when I finished my breakfast, my mother would come upstairs to have a smoke. She would help me do my hair if I wanted to stylized it that day and take me to school. Or perhaps it would have been my dad who took me that day. Every week, we would always stop at the gas station to pick something up depending on the day. Sometimes he would buy me a donut if I skipped breakfast because I slept in. Or maybe he would buy me a candy bar for my lunch because I had been good that whole week. During the winter, we would stop to get hot chocolate and I would drink it on my way to school. But those days were over. Sure, I could always go to the gas station and pick it up myself, but it just wouldn't be the same without them. Every weekday that goes by when I didn't see my mom or dad come up after I was done getting ready for the day, my heart felt a stab of remorse.

I finished my breakfast and put the dishes in the sink. I would put them in the dishwasher later. I headed to the bathroom to do my morning business such as using the toilet and washing my face. Once that was done, I finished putting on some house clothes since I didn't really plan on going anywhere today and headed back to my room. I laid on my bed and stared at the ceiling. Oliver jumped up with me and laid himself on my stomach. I pet his black fur for a while as my eyes gazed upon the white dots above me and my mind wandered in my imagination. No matter what I did, the memory of last night's events played in my mind. Like a broken projector showing the same slides over and over again until it just faded into the light. I don't even know why I'm making a deal about this to begin with. I want nothing to do with what happened that night. But I wasn't going to get my wish. I turned my head to my desk where my bag for the sketches of the mansion laid. Now that I thought about it, maybe some school work would get my mind off of everything. I know it seemed kind of nerdy to be doing homework on a weekend, but I needed something to do with myself.

I headed towards my desk and grabbed my bag, opening it and retrieved the pages of the sketches I took from yesterday. They weren't half bad as I looked at them. Not nearly as close to the original designs, but I would be able to work with this. As I looked over the sketches, I was reminded of those two demons fighting each other to the death. Though, I suppose looking at the scenes where it took place would trigger those events. Actually, now that I thought about it, the idea of two demons from different types fighting each other seemed like an ideal horror story. The environment, the supernatural events happening lately, and what I saw would be a good idea since I was the only one who saw it, so it would be original!

The ideas flowed through me as I reached for the pencil and started to draw out the two characters on my own. I only saw some of their details, but I could work with what I knew. For starters, I would give the one with the pointy ears green hair, to show he uses the green powers. His teeth would be sharp. He'd probably have some demon heels as well, a well-fitted body considering how agile he was. The eyes, they would be an emerald green and would have black sockets. The other one would have red hair mixed with black. His dress-up manners would only obscure the fact that he was a monster. Goat horns on his forehead and red pupils with black sockets. Yes, this could work. I also remembered the moves they used and the powers they had. I only saw a bit of the actual fight, but I could incorporate my imagination to make a four minute long video. Maybe I could somehow find a song that could represent what was going on. After all, two demons fighting wasn't a good enough story. Anyone could come up with that, but why they were fighting to begin with would be a much more crucial plot point.

That morning, I had worked hard on the sketches of the animation. First, I had to piece together how the scenario would go. When it came to action films, I was lacking on the movements. But I had to think of how they would fight each other before I could get them to animate with the story. Since one of them was already in a room sleeping, the other would probably be in another one doing the same thing. They would mostly wake up due to sensing another on the territory. The red one would get dressed up as the green one would somehow transform more into his demon from. Perhaps he already had a human form and he was becoming the demon to defend himself! Then, they would announce their presences to each other by smashing open the doors to their rooms. That's when the fighting would begin. The red one would throw his red energy at the green one, who will dodge it by crawling on the wall. Then, he would fall down through the spiral staircase and sneak around the house waiting for the moment to strike, only to be ambushed by the red demon. The two would be blasted into the living room with the green demon's shriek. They would fight some more, one would be at the advantage one moment, then at the disadvantage. When the whole house would comes down, they would have one final attack to decide who would be the victor. Then, when the two would collide with their powers, the whole area would go blind with the light. I suppose the green demon would be victorious, since he did get up. Since I didn't stick around, I didn't know how the fight ended. But I would save that once I get to that part.

It was around one in the afternoon when I took a look at what I had gotten so far. I had gotten to the part where the two were thrown into the living room. Halfway through my project, not bad if I do say so myself. I was planning on drawing out the fight between the two in the living room before I would call it a day. I looked through the sketches on my table to try and find the living room one. Tossing paper after paper, but none of them were the ones I was looking for. Standing up from my chair, I looked over all of my papers in vain as the one that I need was not in the pile. I tried my bag, but still no luck.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I sighed as I rubbed my temple. How was I supposed to finish my project if I didn't have the last sketch I needed? I tried to calm myself for a moment, thinking that I could just trace another one onto my phone. So, I reached into my pockets from my jeans last night and… found it wasn't there. I began to panic even more as I searched my belongings and room for my phone, but found nothing. "Ah crap…" Not only did I lose part of my project, but I also lost my only phone! And I, alone, couldn't afford to get a new one! I tried to settle my nerves a bit, tried to think what to do. I tried to recall what I did last night that I could have left my phone, retracing my steps. I got home last night but didn't change until this morning. I rode back home to get Oliver, but before that, I was in the woods and…

My eyes wavered as a thought overcame my brain. A shocking thought that I didn't want to be true, but there was no other options. That night, I was in such a rush to get away from the fight I must have dropped some of my stuff. The sketches were one thing, but if I really left my phone at that place, that was a whole other story. I looked over onto my bed where Oliver was staring at me. Looking back at my bag, I knew I had no choice.

?

This was a bad idea. Out of all the ideas I've head over the years, this had to have been the worst one yet! I was literally going back into the lion's den after nearly escaping without a scratch. I was doing this for what, a piece of paper and an electrical brick?! Still, what else could I do? I couldn't just replace my old phone, there was a process I had to go through and everything. I couldn't do that on my own. If I were to get my brother or sister involved, they would want to know what happened to my phone. If I told them the truth, they would either call me crazy or get all worked up and have me move back in with them! Even if I lied, they would think I was even more irresponsible than they thought I was. The last thing I needed was to give them a reason for having me live with them again. I wasn't going to give up everything I worked hard for on my own just because I lost my stupid phone!

I rode off past the trees and into the woods, locating the old mansion. I highly doubt it would still be standing after what happened last night. But if I had to dig through the rubble just to get back my phone, that's what I was gonna do. I left shortly after and made sure to go while there was still light outside. I left Oliver at the daycare because I didn't know how long it would take. I didn't want to be out for too long, just in case those demons came back. As soon as the sun starts to set, I was getting out of there, phone or no phone. Once I reached the area, my hunch about the mansion being gone was correct. Rubble was scattered everywhere and the walls and roof were no longer there. Some of the furniture survived and there was still the floor, the only indicator that a building was ever really there. I ditched my bike in the bushes again and began my search. I went inside the house, or what was left of it, at least, and looked around. I probably dropped my phone when I hid in the room from that man. Seeing as how the whole house was leveled, I had to figure out where the room would have ended up.

I wasn't too sure how long I searched through what was left of the place. I just kept my eyes on the sun to make sure I still had the light to guide me. I don't know how, but it was a miracle! I ended up finding my phone under the piles of the house. What was even more amazing was that not only was it not damaged, it was still working. I didn't care how impossible that should have been, I was just happy to have retrieved my phone at the time. I placed it in my pocket and made my way towards my bike, ready to leave. I didn't care about the sketch, I could just use the picture I had on my phone to draw it out. Sure, it wouldn't be as good as just being there and looking at it myself, but that clearly wasn't an option anymore.

It was just when I took a few steps towards where my bike was, I stopped as I heard something. My head whipped to the side to see the source of the strange noise. For a moment I thought I was hearing things. I was in the woods, after all. Hearing noises like birds and other creatures would be normal. But as I stood still and let my ears open up in the air, I heard it again. It sounded like… moaning. Like something was in pain. Once again, my curiosity stopped me from getting away from the area and instead looked around to try and figure out who or what was making that noise. I walked around the area again to see if I could pinpoint the location. I thought that it was just some wounded deer that got shot by a hunter. Those animals were pretty frequent here. But, now that I think about it, deers don't moan, they whine. It wasn't until I neared the living room that my nose caught an odor I didn't pick up right when I got here. It was faint, but the smell of blood still lingered in the air. It mixed with that of the pine trees and the wild flowers, which was probably why I didn't smell it earlier. I walked deeper into what was left of the mansion and went into the living room. My head scanned the place to see if I could find out what it was that was in pain. Immediately, I was able to see a trail of blood on the floor leading to another pile of rubble. Slowly, my feet moved cautiously towards what was lying on top of it. I had expected to see an injured animal, hoping to see one. My eyes widened and my breath caught in my throat at the scene.

There was a man lying on the rubble! His back was towards me as his face was buried deep in the floor. His arms were spread out and his clothes in tatters. I shrieked in a panic and fumbled backwards, falling and landing on my butt. I had expected the man to rise up right then and there like a zombie and attack me. I was too scared to even move any further away. But as a whole minute went by, there was no response. I was able to swallow my fear and gain the courage to go look at the body. Grabbing a stick, I used it to poke the arm. I flitched, expecting a reaction but didn't get one. I poked a few more times until I was certain there wasn't any movement. I dropped the stick and did yet another idiotic thing that could have gotten me killed. I knelt down before the body and turned him so I would be able to see his front. My eyes looked at his chest and I noticed the bloodied mess that covered the skin. Some of it was dry but it was clear that the blood was still flowing from the wound. Bile rose in my throat as I covered my mouth to keep it from leaving. I swallowed as I tried to block out the stench of the blood. Seeing the crimson liquid reminded me of that night… the night I lost my parents. I've always been squeamish around blood, and it only got worse as the years went by. I backed away from the scene until my back collided with a tree. How long had this poor man been here?! Bleeding to death?! Was he even still alive? I didn't exactly see him breathing, but then again seeing and doing are different things.

I took only a step forward and eyed the man that was bleeding. While he looked dead, it was still hard to tell from this distance. I thought about leaving right then and there. I would just hop on my bike and leave the scene, never to come back again! But, what if this was a crime scene and I was a witness?! Now that I thought about it, could this man have been fighting some monster?! But if that were true, how was he still alive? I turned my back towards him, begging my body to let me leave. To for once, forget about my curiosity that would get me in deep trouble that could potentially kill me. I couldn't even take one step towards my bike before turning around to take another look at the man. I slowly made my way back to him and actually listened this time. Placing my ear close to his heart and trying to find what I was looking for to prove to myself that it wasn't worth it. It was shallow and weak, but there was breathing. I stood back up and looked at the man. My gaze drifting from his chest towards his neck until I reached his face. Blood seeped through his lips and mouth, no doubt from internal damage. I soon made my way towards his eyes. I expected them to be closed, and they were for a moment. I stared at the features of his face for only a minute. When a minute had past, I still had trouble deciding what I was going to do. Before my mind could even come to a conclusion, my whole body froze in fear as something reached out and grabbed my arm. I looked down to see a hand belonging to the man was wrapped around me, not so tightly though. I looked back to see that his eyes were squinting and they were opening, just halfway. I held my breath as the eyes of the man stared at me for what seemed like an eternity. As I stared into those eyes… those haunting orbs… I knew what I had to do right then and there.

?

Once again, I knew the idea was a bad one just on its own. Yet I was doing it because I was that naive. I wasn't sure how, but somehow I was able to carry the man on my bike towards my house. He was surprisingly lighter than I anticipated he would be. That was both a good and a bad thing. Bad because it was most likely due to the fact that he lost a lot of blood, but good because it made him easier to transport. I suppose if I was actually smart and didn't want this to be on my mind, I would have just called 911 and have them come over to take care of him since I got my phone back. But then again, how would I even explain to them what happened? I was walking through the woods looking for my phone and a sketch at this manor I stumbled upon and saw this man? Even if I told them the truth, I would probably have to explain the situation about that night for further details. Again, that I wanted to avoid. But there was another reason, such as I didn't know how long it would take the ambulance to get here to help him out. I was able to get here in under half an hour because I took a shortcut through the woods. A large vehicle like a medical unit would have to take a whole different route just to get to where I was. By the time anyone would have gotten there, it might have been too late for him. He needed help now!

I ended up using my sleeves and some of my pants to make a bandage over the chest, to slow down the bleeding. I was partially half naked, but it was all I could do at the time. I was just lucky it was spring time or it would have been way worse. Getting him to my house was a bit of a challenge though. I couldn't bring him in through the front door, that would draw too much attention. So, I ended up taking another trail that would lead me to the backyard. It took a bit longer, but no one was able to see me. Once we got to my backyard, I leaned the man against the back door with my bike. I then stealthily made my way to the front door with the key and went inside. I hurried into the garage and went to the door where the man was on the other side. The door in the back of the garage had two wooden beams that kept the door locked tight. I had them placed there not long after I was on my own. Removing them was a hassle, but I was able to do it nonetheless. I opened the door and brought my bike in first, then the man. Once both were inside, I closed the door and board it back up. Now, the hard part; bringing the man into the living room.

Dragging him was even more challenging than helping him get here. And the stairs didn't exactly help either. Once again, my determination was able to get him to the top. Now all I needed was to get everything ready. I looked around the house to figure out what I needed. I headed towards my parents bedroom and got my father's EMT kit. He worked as an EMT for a lot of schools when they had basketball tournaments. After he died, I kept his kit with me in the room he and my mom were in. I never really had any use for it, mostly because I never wanted to go into that field. He did teach me a few things though like how to stitch someone up and patch them up. Just the basics, really. I was hoping it would be enough to save him. I got what I needed and set it in the living room.

First, I placed a large blanket over the area. I then placed the body on said blanket, and got to work. It was a messy job, and it took hours but the process seemed fairly simple. First, I had to figure out where the source of the problem was. I knew where the biggest problem was, but just to be safe I had to make sure there weren't any other injuries. I didn't find any, so that was good. I only had to deal with one problem. If I remember correctly, you would have to take off the clothing where the wound was. I removed the shirt and pant bandage I put on the man and looked at the wound. A very large open hole that still pushed out blood. I nearly gagged at the sight, but I covered my mouth with a face mask and put on some gloves. First, I got some disinfectant medicine and rubbed it on a cloth. Then gently pressed it around the area to clear up the infection. When the cloth touched the skin, the man jumped but didn't hiss in pain or show any indication he would react violently. Looks like he was unconscious, but alive at least. A fresh wave of relief filled me knowing that I might be able to save him. Next came the hardest part, stitching up the wound. I only had a bit of practice with sewing and stitching on clothes, not human flesh. But I figured it would be the same thing, I hoped at least.

I placed the thread in the hole of the needle and tied it. Trying my best to steady my hands, knowing that this moment would determine if I would save him or end up killing him. I jabbed the needle into one part of the teared skin and pierced it through the other end, joining the two parts together. So far so good, just needed to do it a couple of more times. I was sweating just from the sheer pressure of this operation. I had never done something like this in my life before, and I had hoped I wouldn't have to. But as the smell of blood filled the room and I was halfway done stitching, the reality sunk in. This was stupid, I thought to myself for the millionth time that day alone. I mean, for all I knew this man could have been some sort of criminal that I let into my home! Even if he was too weak to do much, once he was all healed what was going to stop him from attacking me? Why do I allow myself to be put in these situations? Nevertheless, I finished stitching the last bit of flesh together and cut off the extra string, tying it on his wound.

I looked at the man and he was still breathing with weak and shallow breaths. I had hoped I did a good job stitching so that the blood wouldn't get out. Now, for the last part. I had to cover up the wound with the bandages. Reaching into the pack, I took out a roll of cloth bandages and proceeded with the final step. I had to roll him over a couple of time to make sure I got the whole abdomen That part didn't take long though, and once that was done, I looked back and was actually pleased with my work. It might not have been as good as a professional, but for now it will have to do.

When I was done with my work, I needed to think of what to do next. It would only be a matter of time before he would wake up, though from the amount of blood loss it probably wouldn't be for a while. I reached for my phone and was about to call 911 to tell them to come here to get him and transport him to the hospital. Have them take care of it from there. At least this way I would be able to have my conscious cleared knowing he would be in better hands. At that moment though, my phone didn't respond. of course, the battery was probably dead. Another set back was the last thing I needed. I walked back to my room and put my device on its charger. It would take a while before it would have enough juice in it for me to call anyone. In the meantime, I would have an unconscious person lying in my living room that I operated on. Not even remotely the strangest thing I've seen lately.

I walked back into the living room and cleaned up a bit. I took the ripped up jeans and sleeves I used and decided to toss them away seeing as how they won't be saved by that point. Now that I thought about it, I realized at that moment that I was still half-naked. Feeling embarrassed I rushed back to my room and put on a new outfit. Once that was done, I figured I might as well take care of his clothes and wash them. Not like I had anything better to do anyways. I took the pants and his shirt and headed downstairs to the laundry room, throwing them into the washer. Great, not only was I helping a possible criminal by patching him up, now I was doing his laundry. What a day it was for me.

I headed back upstairs to check up on my… guest. He was still lying on the blacket, unmoving. Looking dead, but only I knew he was alive. For how long I didn't know at the time. I walked back over to him to make sure he was still unconscious. More relief flooded over me to see that not only was he still knocked out, but his breathing seemed to have gotten a bit better. For some reason, a smile graced my lips knowing I had done a good job. I was about to leave him and check on my phone but as I stood up, something caught my eyes and blinded me for a second. I looked down and saw something shiny on the guy's finger. The sunlight from the window probably caught it. I looked at it closer and saw that there was a ring on the finger. How strange, did this mean he was married or engaged? If that were true, then I probably saved a husband or a finance. Then again, some criminals were known to have jewelry on them. I shook that thought from my head and focused back on the ring. It had a stone in it that was red. It wasn't a ruby, I wasn't sure what it was at the time. For some reason, I was compelled to reach out and take it, and I did just that.

I slide the ring off the finger and held it in my hand. Twirling and examining it, to try and figure out what the stone was. I've never seen anything like it, a round stone that had a light crimson texture to it. What a strange stone, but there was something about it. I couldn't explain it at the time, but the more I stared at the strange rock, the deeper of the trance I was put in. It was like this stone was calling to me… telling me something. I know it was strange, even I still think it's crazy as I think about it. At the time, I didn't know any better. I didn't know what it truly was, but I kept it with me for a while. I held the ring tightly in my palm and went over to the kitchen to clean up from the mess. I took off my gloves and face mask, relieved that my skin was free. When I took off the mask though, the smell of blood filled my nostrils once again. It wasn't as strong from this distance, but I could still smell it to a degree. I reached under the sink and hoped we had some Febreeze. I had to spray the living room and open some windows just to get the stench out. I used up half the bottle, but at least the air was bearable to breath now. I put the bottle of Febreeze back under the sink, happy that I got the job done.

I looked back over at the man on the floor, debating if I should move him or not. I didn't want to complicate his condition but I couldn't just leave him on the floor like that. I went downstairs to my parents room and grabbed a blanket and a few pillows. Positioning the pillows under his head and covered him up with a blanket. He should at least be somewhat comfortable while recovering. As I looked at him lying there on the makeshift bed, he seemed pretty peaceful. I just had to keep my eye on him and make sure he was making good progress in his recovery. That reminded me of something I had to do. I walked away from the body and headed back to my room to check on my phone. Hoping that it would have enough battery to make that ambulance call so I can move on with my life. I reached for my phone and saw that it was sufficiently changed to the point I could make the call. Just as I was about to do so though, someone ended up calling me. I nearly jumped from the sudden ringing or my phone. But calmed down once I saw the caller ID. I slide the screen to answer and held up the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Hey kid, how are you?" my sister's sweet voice called on the other end. A smile graced my face as it lit up. It was always nice to hear from her now and then. After mom died, she was the one who took care of me. Her and my sister in law. I tried to remain calm and acted like everything was normal on my end. Good thing we were only talking through a phone.

"Hey sis, this is a pleasant surprise… are you calling to check up on me?"

"Yeah, how are you doing?"

"Oh, you know… busy with classes and projects… I'm working on an animation for my animation class right now. Took me all morning just to get a head start on it."

"Really? When do you think it will be done?"

"I'm just doing the keyframes right now and will be adding textures soon. I'm hoping I get a decent grade."

"You've been working hard getting your animation degree and writing one. And I've seen your work, you're really good."

"T-thanks sis…" I blushed. I knew she was only being nice because she was my sister, but it still made me happy to know that someone supports my dreams. I know my mom and dad kind of mocked me about it, even though they were just teasing. Still, this was what I wanted to do, and I wasn't going to look back. For a long while, we pretty much talked with one another. She told me about what was going on with her life. All the places she and her wife went to and what they did. All the people they helped out and the projects they were able to do. I really admire my sister, she was so cool. I wish I could come live with her at times, but she has her life and I need to follow my own.

"And we were able to get her an interview and she got the job! We were also able to find her a place to stay for a few months. It'll take some time, but Laura will be able to pick herself up again."

"That's great news Kris, I'm sure if mom were here… she would be proud." I tried to say without any sorrow in my voice. It was there but I had hoped it wasn't strong. There was silence on the line for a minute or two, both of us lost in the past. Losing our mother was hard enough, but being reminded that she was barely able to lift her dreams before dying was even harder. I hugged my knees against my chest as I leaned against the wall on my bed. Memories of her flood through my brain for a while, her loving and caring figure that was also tomboyish. She was smart and was able to preserver in the worst times. She cared for her children like they were her life and she did all she could to make us happy, but made sure we were able to prepare ourselves for the world. It was ironic really. She always told me that just because I had difficulty with adapting with others due to my needs, she said I shouldn't let that stand in the way of how I wanted to live my life. And yet, she was planning on giving me special services from the government for me to live off of. I knew it would only be for a while, just until I could truly be on my own. Even she was disgusted by it, but there wasn't much we could do. It was one of those rare moments where I was the one comforting her. My mom was very strict, but it was only because she loved me and wanted to make sure that if anything were to happen to her, I would be fine. She did her job to the very end. I just wish she was here right now, being proud of both of her daughters.

I wiped away the tears as they try to come out of my eyes. Holding back a sniffle, I promised myself I wouldn't cry. It's been over a year since that night. I needed to move on. "S-sorry…" I said through the line.

"Hey, no need to apologize, Little K. I miss her just as much as you do. I want her to see what we've turned her nonprofit into and I know she would be proud. I'm sure she's above us, watching us right now." I looked out my window as the sun was beginning to descend into the horizon. There were barely any clouds out tonight in the sky. I wasn't religious, but I do believe that there were some supernatural forces in the world. Whether my mom's spirit really was watching me from somewhere, I wasn't too sure. But the idea of it was comforting to know that she was still by my side. If not physically, than spiritually was good enough for me. Though it wasn't the same. "Anyways," my sister went on, "we're going to be stopping by Spring Lake here soon. Not for long, just for a week to check up on a few things. Would you like to stay with us for a while?"

I sat myself up and leaned closer to the phone. "Y-you want me to stay with you two?"

"We're planning on heading here tomorrow for your Spring Break. We figured it would be a good time for us to hang out."

"I... dunno. I don't want to get in the way between you and work."

"Nonsense! You're a huge part of this nonprofit. You're great at entering data and organizing our things. Not to mention when it comes to making flyers and posters, you're too creative! And you can still work on your project while you're here."

"Well… I guess if it's no bother…"

"Of course it's no bother, we're sisters!"

My eyes softened as she said that. It made me feel a little less alone. "Alright, how soon can you come over?"

"How does nine sound? I know it's kind of early but by the time we get to where we're staying it will be like noon."

"S-sure… I'll pack everything tonight and me and Oliver will be ready for you when you get here."

"Okay, see you then kid!"

"See you, sis." I sighed as I hung up the phone and lay down on my bed. Finding myself staring at the ceiling as I processed everything. It had been a long day and I would like nothing more than to just curl up in my bed and get some rest. I set my alarm for six in the morning, thinking it wouldn't take me that long to get ready but wanted to be prepared in case she came early. I didn't even bother to change out of my clothes into my pajamas. I just got under the covers and snuggled in the comforter. Allowing my sheets to drift me into a peaceful slumber. I wasn't even aware I held the ring in my hands as the night went on.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I didn't want to get up, I wanted nothing more than to lay in my bed and surround myself in the covers. Just drown out all the light and sounds and sleep the rest of the day. I just wanted to have a day where I could slumber in dream land and forget about the terrifying reality. But my alarm on my phone forced me to changed plans. I reached over and shut off the alarm to make it stop. I then sat up in my bed, my hair a mess and my clothes sliding off my skin. A yawn escaped my lips and tears started forming in the corners of my eyes. I had about three hours until my sister would be here to pick me up. I figured I would eat breakfast and get ready, then pack up and wait.

Tossing over my covers, I threw my feet over the bed as they made contact with the plush floor. I stood up and stretched my limbs. The morning sun cascade into my room, and the sunlight felt good on my skin. I didn't have any nightmares that night or even slept under my bed. It seemed that for the first time that morning, it was a good day to be alive. Until I stepped out of my room and entered into the living room to get to the kitchen. I looked around and froze in place as I looked to see the makeshift bed I made for my… 'guest' last night. I was so caught up with my sister's call and too tired that I had forgotten about him! But it wasn't just the fact that his bed laid there, no it was the fact that the body that should be lying upon it was not present. I about had a panic attack there as the reality sunk in. I looked around the living room and kitchen but saw no sign of the man. Where was he?! Was he still in the house? The very idea shook my being with goosebumps. I ran to the kitchen to grab something to defend myself with, a sharp knife. I slowly then navigated my way around the house to check for him. I searched every room, looked in every closet and under every bed. But there was not even a sign that he had been here. In fact, the blood that had dripped from his body when he was coming up the stairs and onto the carpet were gone as well. I was baffled by the strange cleanliness of the mess, but I didn't think too much of it at the time. I had assumed that the man might have woken up in the middle of the night and for some unknown reason, left even though he was injured. He was probably trying to get to a hospital to take care of that wound if I had to have guessed. I was just thankful at the time that he didn't come into my room and attacked me. I guess he must have realized I saved his life and he was in too much of pain to bother me. As long as he didn't come back, I didn't care what happened to him. I just hoped he was able to get some help once he was out of here.

With one weight off my shoulder, I went on with my morning by making some breakfast. I had some eggs and toast, thinking I should fill up on food for the long drive to my sister's place. It was also the first time I had a real breakfast in a while. Not cold cereal or pieces of toast. Maybe things really were starting to look up for me. After breakfast, I washed out my dishes and prepared myself for the week to follow. I took a shower seeing as how it had been awhile since I last bathed. And I could still smell some of the blood from yesterday on me, so I wanted to wash away any traces. I then put on some black jeans and threw on a T-shirt from one of my favorite franchise, "Bendy and the Ink Machine". I then headed back to the bathroom to fix up my hair, wash my face and brush my teeth and put on my glasses. Even though I could see somewhat fine without them, I still have trouble seeing the far away objects. Once I was all ready myself, I went back to my room and started packing. Grabbing a bunch of my clothes, my hygiene products, my electronics and some of my personal belongings that I just could not part with for so long. Like a photo of me and my parents at the animal shelter when we were picking up Oliver. I looked at the photo and smiled.

"I still remember how tiny Oliver was," I said to myself. "I could hold him in just one of my hands. I didn't think I'd grow attached to him, but in the end he helped me get through the worst of times." Now that I thought about it, where was the little rascal? He usually slept with me on the bed and was usually up by this time to go to the bathroom and eat breakfast. I had planned on bringing him to my sister's house since I didn't want him to stay away from me for a whole week. He would go crazy spending a whole week over at the doggy… "Oh Crap! Oliver!" I placed the photo down on the desk and rushed through the hallway, down the stairs to get my shoes on. I grabbed my keys and headed through the door, running across the street to get to my neighbors house. I walked up to the front porch and rang on the doorbell, waiting for a response. Immidentantly the barks and yaps of dogs could be heard from the inside of the house. It only took a minute before an older woman stepped out through the door, keeping the animals inside.

"Ah, good morning Kate. What a pleasant surprise…"

"Good morning, Mrs. Parker."

"What brings you to the daycare?"

"I left Oliver here last night. I didn't mean to! I was busy with a… project and I lost track of time. I ended up falling asleep at my desk." It wasn't a complete lie, but I had to make sure not to tell too much detail or she would get suspicious.

"Well, you are in college after all. And you do live by yourself. It's natural for you to be so busy. But don't overwork yourself, dear."

"I won't. I'll be taking a week long vacation with my sister."

"Oh, well, I hope you two have fun. I think we all need a break from work, school and even life now and then. That reminds me, how are you holding up dearie? It will almost be two years since… I-I know it's not my place or business to talk about it. But Jim knew your parents and we were good friends. I just want to make sure you're doing well and that you… you're not overworking yourself just to keep you distracted from…"

"It's been hard, and with the anniversary coming up, it's only going to be more difficult. But I've learned that what happened happened, and I can't change the past." I looked down at the ground, not really wanting her to see the sorrow in my eyes. "They're gone, and there's nothing I can do. I just have to keep going and hope that it will be to the point where it will just be numb."

Mrs. Parker had on a sweet smile that only an elderly person who was proud of the young generation could wear. "You're very brave, Kate. So," she went on as she lead me inside. "I'll get Oliver and you two can be on your way." We went into the living room, as I tried not to get stampeded on by a bunch of paws. I saw Oliver lying on one of the dog beds. As soon as he heard me coming into the living room, he jumped from the pillow and rushed up to me, tackling me onto the ground and licking my face. I couldn't help but laugh and allow the drool to cover my skin as a way to apologize for leaving him here. I thanked Mrs. Parker for looking after Oliver overnight and told her I wouldn't make this a habit. She assured me that it wasn't a big deal, but I was a person who would keep their promise. I walked back home to let Oliver do his business and let him have his breakfast. While he was eating, I finished packing up. I placed the photo of me and my parents in the suitcase, a sad smile was left on my lips. It will be two years since that night this upcoming fall. I'm honestly surprised I've made it this far. But, I have to keep going. I also took out my journal from my desk, thinking I should bring it with me. I've kept a journal to help write out my feelings ever since that night. It's a copping system, but it helps. I opened it to a clean page and decide to write about my past events.

 ** _"_** ** _April 18th, 2018_**

 ** _A lot has happened these last few days, I can't describe it. I can sum it up in one word… mysterious. I should have known that after that night when my parents died, the demons might be lurking around. I didn't want to think about it too much though, because I need sleep. Still, between that demon fight back in that old mansion in the woods, the man I stitched up and now…"_**

I turned my attention to the ring on the desk. I had forgotten about it from last night, but now that it was beside me, I couldn't help but feel a strange pulse of some emotion from inside me bloom just seeing it. This strange red stone encased in a silver band. I know I shouldn't have taken it, and I don't know if he will come back to get it, but there was something… familiar about this gem that I had to see for myself. Now that I had it, this feeling only grew and I couldn't help but want to accept it. But there was a small part of me that feared of what may come if I should hold onto it for much longer. I set it down and went on writing in my journal.

 _ **"**_ _ **I've been trying everything to rebuild a life for myself and keep it together. It hasn't been easy, but I'm not going to let it fall now. I'm going to be staying with my sister for the next week to help out with the nonprofit. Hopefully this should take my mind off of things, and it would be nice to see her and Kay again. I can still work on my animation project but I wanna try to spend more time with the only family I have left. So, from this day on, I promise that I'm going to try and break this mask I'm forced to wear to keep up appearances. I don't want to just say "I'm okay" when I'm not. I want to mean it, to know it's true so I don't have to live in this shell anymore. Hopefully, by the end of this week I'll be able to get some positive energy back into my being and lead my future days with a head held high! So, I'm wishing myself luck because I'm going to need it."**_

I closed the journal and sigh, glad to have gotten that off my chest. I placed the ring and the notebook in my bag and closed it up. I was ready to get out of this house and spend some time with actual people. This is good for me, I need to overcome this social barrier I have. Now that my folks can't help me, it's up to me to navigate my way through a conversation. I've done well so far, but I have to make sure I get so used to it I'm comfortable with it. When it comes to family and teachers I'm good, but strangers or peers that's a problem. But, I've ran away from a lot of my problems for so long, you need to know when to start facing them. And this one, I could face head on. I waited until around 9:15 for my sister to pull up into the driveway. She was late, but this was a normal occurrence. She let herself in and Oliver and I were all over her.

"Hey kiddo, been a long time hasn't it?!"

I let go of my embrace from her and looked up at her. We shared our mother's hair color and eyes, as well as her welcoming smile. In a way, Kris reminded me of my mother because of how closely they resemble each other. That's why I liked hanging out with her, she reminded me that our mom would always be with us.

"Sorry I'm late," Kris rubbed the back of her head. "I had to take a detour because I skipped breakfast. So I went to the gas station and got some coffee and a donut."

"It's alright, you've been very busy. I understand."

"I grabbed you one myself, are you hungry?"

"I already had breakfast, but I'll still have it," I told her honestly. "We should probably get going. I'm sure we have lots to do back at your place and I can't wait to get started!"

"Someone's in a chipper mood." Kris crossed her arms as she looked a me. I looked back up at her and smiled myself. I grabbed my suitcase and with Oliver by my side, the two of us headed out closing the door behind me. I took one last look at the house and realized that for a full week, it would be deserted of it's residences. I felt bad for the house, and hoped that it would be alright. I told Jim to keep an eye on the house while I was gone. I just hope no unexpected guests show up. I closed and locked the door and headed into my sister's car. I grabbed the donut she told me about and ate it as I watched the house leave my eyesight once we took off.

?

The drive was a long one, so long I stopped keeping track of time because it just became pointless. Even though we were moving so fast on the highway, my mind seemed like it was floating around aimlessly. A lot was on my mind that I didn't want to have. But no matter how hard I tried it somehow resurfaced. I stared out the window as Oliver sat on my lap, looking out at the scenery himself. I wanted nothing more than to tell my sister about the last few days with my experience about some demons and me helping a bleeding man… but I knew it would get her all riled up and it would lead to her panicking. That was the last thing I needed from her. Like my mom, she was just as overprotective and freaked out about the littesist of things. So, I need to keep this a secret from her. I don't want to lie to her, but I also don't want to worry her either. I was just going to lay low until this whole mess blew over me. I just want to forget about the last two days and move on with my life.

"Kate?" I turned my head to see my sister looking at me with concern in her eyes. I blinked a few times before I shook my head.

"S-sorry… did you say something?"

"You okay? You've been staring out the window for the past hour. Were you even listening to what I was saying?"

"Sorry… I was just thinking is all… I know I can't keep using this excuse but a lot has been on my mind. Between school, and taking care of Oliver. Helping you with the nonprofit and… mom and dad." I shook my head again and looked back up at my sister with wide eyes. "I'm sorry…"

"Kate, it's been nearly two years since that night. I know it's hard but the past is the past." My sister sighed as she went back to the road and gripped the steering wheel. "I miss them, just as much as you do. And I wish I could have been there to do… something."

"Trust me, you're lucky you didn't get to see what I saw." I adjusted myself and glared back out the window, leaning my head against the glass. "Besides, I don't know what I would have done if I lost you to."

I could still feel the look of concern on my sister's face even when I wasn't staring at her. She sighed as she herself was lost in thought and started rambling on. "When I heard about what happened from David, I wanted nothing more than to drop everything and come back home to make sure you were alright. But it was hard to get back… I had to talk it over with Kay, we had to make travel arrangements. We had to cut our honeymoon short just to get back to Minnesota. All that time all I could think about was how you were doing and if you were holding up. I called David every single day just to make sure you were fine. You wouldn't even talk to anyone, you stayed in your room all that time. He was the one that looked after you, and I'm surprised to admit it, but he did a good job looking after you. Now it's my turn, I'm your older sister, your role model. The last thing I want is to see you get hurt. But I also want you to know that you need to put everything behind you to get back out into the world. We both know our mom would want to see you strong and going, even after her death. She never wanted you to be limited because of your… disability."  
I glanced over at my sister, a part of me was kind of insulted but I knew what she meant. I couldn't live the rest of my life in constant fear, using that as an excuse to get out of any and all social situations. I want to be part of some group, I want to put myself out there. But in reality, maybe I'm more afraid of failing. Maybe that's why I've been using my parent's death as a scapegoat. But I knew that couldn't last forever, I guess this trip would finally be my wake up call to that. The car was silent for a while, but I decided to ask a few questions since we seemed to be about an hour away towards our destination now. "Hey sis,"

"Yeah?"

"Where exactly will we be staying?"

"Oh yeah, you haven't been to our house yet, have you?" I shook my head. "It's kind of in the city, so I hope you don't mind crowded spaces and lots of people." She joked.  
I gave her a smile, assuring her that was fine. And it was. To be honest, I actually liked the city setting. I've kind of grown up in suburbs and country sides, but after that night I've been a bit afraid of them. Mostly because they were so spacious anything could pop out and take you away and no one would notice. In a city setting, it was more enclosed and there were more people around. Also, there haven't been many incidents of deaths, missing people reports or any other strange things in larger cities. True, there would be loud noises at night so falling asleep would be difficult, but I'd rather take loud car horns in the middle of the night than eerie silences anyday. Maybe a city view is just what I need to take my mind off of things. Nothing would remind me of my struggles and I'll be preoccupied with helping my sister at the nonprofit that I won't even have time to think about the past. This was the distraction I needed.

The rest of the drive past by in silence, none of us really had much to say to each other. But we didn't need to, we ended up getting to where we needed to be within the hour. I stepped out of the car and onto the small sidewalk to take a look at the house Kris and her wife shared. It was a small house, but being in a city based area it was pretty decent. There was a yard and a gas station a few blocks away. I grabbed Oliver and my bag and made my way up the stairs to the front door. I waited for my sister there because she had the keys to get in. After unlocking the door, I entered into the living room. It was pretty clean for the most part. I walked onto the hard wooden floors and looked around. "It's not much, but make yourself at home." My sister told me.

I took off my shoes and allowed Oliver to run around the house to get a good feel of it. Kris gave me the tour. We walked through the living room and entered the kitchen. Clearly the dining room was meant to be the living room. I noticed that there were some plates in the sink that were still dirty. "Sorry, we've been a bit busy and I haven't had time to do the dishes… or clean for that matter."

"I'm surprised you don't have any ants." I joked.

"Well, down through the hall are the bedrooms and the bathroom. The ones closest to the bathroom is where you will be staying. It's kind of bare at the moment, so fill it with whatever you like."

"Is that it?"

"There is a downstairs that we've converted to a movie room, though it's still a work in progress. The washer and dryer are down there as well. You okay to do your own laundry?"

"I have been for the last year and a half."

"Alright, alright. I was just asking. I know this house isn't much or as big, but I'm sure you'll get to like it."

"It's nice, really. Honestly, I need this."

A smile graced my sisters lips as she heard that answer. I smiled back, glad we both seem to understand the situation. The both of us heard some ringing coming in the room. My sister reached into her pocket and took out her phone. She pressed the screen and talked into the device. "Hey Boo, how's it going? … Yeah, Kate is here. We just arrived. … Oh! Yeah, I'll be right there. Okay, see you!" She hung up and looked back at me. "Sorry sis, but I got to go pick up Kay. We only have one car at the moment. Will you be okay to stay here and settle down? I'll only be gone for half an hour."

I nodded, giving her reassurance. She smiled back at me and hugged me. Her warmth made me feel protected, like I still had someone who could be by my side. We broke away and she went to the front door, getting her stuff together and headed out. Once again, I was left alone. But at least I was in a secure place that made me feel like I could handle anything. I grabbed my bag and headed down the hallway to take a look at my room. I opened the white door and looked inside."Hmm, very roomy." I commented with a hint of sarcasm. There was a futon against the wall and a desk on the opposite side. Nothing else was in here, but I didn't need to redecorate. I wasn't going to be here for very long anyways. I set the suitcase on the futon and began to unpack. I stuffed all my clothes into the closet, placed my artwork and school stuff on the desk and placed my sheets on the makeshift bed. I looked around the room and was impressed with the work. "Not exactly my vision, but it'll have to do." I only had a few things left to unpack. One of them being the photo of me and my parents. Once again, a small smile crossed my face. "At least there are some memories I can look back on without being hurt." I told myself. I placed the photo on the desk and reached to see what else I had in my bag. All that was left was that strange ring, sitting aloof in the case. Once again, that same feeling took ahold of me. Something was calling out to me, but I didn't know who it was or what it wanted. I shook my head, not wanting to deal with whatever it was that was making me feel this way. I shut the suitcase and tossed it into my closet and shut the door. I leaned back against the door and slid to the ground, holding my head in my hands. "Dear god, I haven't even been here for an hour and I'm already wigging out. I need something to take my mind off of things."

I walked over to the futon and sat on the mattress, grabbing my phone I clicked on the YouTube app and looked at some of the content it brought up. I clicked on a video and smile as I saw the intro. "Hello everybody, my name is Markiplier and welcome to Octodad!" I laughed knowing what was to be expected of this video. I loved this let's player who had hatred towards rage games and yet he was a loveable goof in real life. I had actually met Markiplier when I was in eighth grade. It was during a party we were having in my social skills group. It was October when we threw the party, having a sort of Spooktacular event with snacks and even telling each other scary stories. The topic of horror games came up at a point and one of the girls was talking about this game called "The Evil Within." Naturally I was curious and asked her about it. She said that if I couldn't get the game I could watch someone play it on YouTube. Back then, Let's Players weren't really that new, but they didn't get as much fame as they do now a days. She had recommended I watched Markiplier play it. And with the click of a few words on my IPod, the video pulled up. I only watched a part of it, but finished it and the whole series when I got home. That's how I met and kind of fell in love with Mark. I loved how he would get so upset at a game like Octodad, and when he screamed and freaked out when he played horror. I always laughed whenever he played a game with questionable mechanics and he contemplates about the situation. Not only that, he really cares about his fans and has done a bunch of charity streams. He was good and a even greater person. I really admired him and hope that I could be just as generous as him.

"Come on Mark, you can do it! I mean, you get it eventually. Just keep thinking of the kittens." I laughed as I watched him play the game. A sudden thought crossed my mind. I clicked on his icon and was taken to his channel, checking out the content. A small frown crossed my lips as I saw how old his last video was. "It's been six months since Mark last uploaded something. He usually posts something at least every day or a week. There hasn't been any mentions or vlogs of him being busy on any of his social media. And I know he can't be dead because it would be in the news. He never gave a hint of dropping Youtube either… I wonder… what happened to him?" I put my phone down and sigh, trying not to think about it too much. By it I meant Markiplier. Youtube videos should be the least of my worries after all. And it wasn't like I was the only one worrying, I'm sure his other fans are just as curious, but they don't seem to be making a big deal about it. And I had way more things to worry about than media. Such as finishing my project for the animation class. I walked over to my desk and took out the supplies and phone. Looking through my photos, I was relieved to see that the pictures I took from the now ruined manor was still in my gallery. All I had to do was finish drawing a particular room and I could start putting the storyboard together then I can begin the layouts with their more detailed designs. I had the animation part down, I just needed to find a story to explain it. That shouldn't be too hard though, after all I am a naturally born writer.

"Let's see… the story is about two demons who end up in this manor. They fight because… because… they want the territory? No, then destroying the mansion wouldn't make sense. They want something? What would they want? What are they after that would be so important, they would want to kill each other for it? Hmm…" So many ideas but only one would be good enough. I had just finished up the last panel needed for the animation. I was just about to scan them into a flash drive on my laptop to digitize everything. As I was about to place the flash drive into the port, I jumped and dropped it when I suddenly heard barking. I gasped in panic but regained myself as I looked out from the room to hear the noise. "Oliver!" I shouted throughout the halls. I stomped my way over to my black pug to see him barking at the door in the living room. Rolling my eyes, I walked over to him and picked him up. "Hey, what are you barking at?" I listened to the other noises that were around me. J didn't hear any car horns or any yelling, no indicated noises that would connect the reason to why he was over-reacting. I went up to the door and looked through the peephole, trying to see what was going on. At first, I saw nothing but the street outside. I was sure that it was just a random moment Oliver was having. I looked out again and nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw an eye pop up. "Ah!" I screamed and caught my breath when I heard voices outside.

"Kate? Are you behind the door?" my sister knocked on the door as she asked from the other side.

"Jesus Christ," I walked up to the door and opened it, revealing my sister and my sister in law, Kay.

"Hey little K, what's up?"

"You two nearly gave me a heart attack, that's what's up." I breathed again.

"Why were you even looking through the peephole anyways?"

"Oliver was acting up just now, he probably just heard your car door slam. He's an oddball."

"It's fine," Kay assured as she got on her knees and rubbed Oliver's face. "Dogs are animals, he probably just sensed us before we came up the driveway."

I shrugged, thinking that was probably reasonable. I never knew what went on in his head. Kay looked back up at me and smiled. "So, what do you think of the place? We moved here a while ago after we came back, but this is the first time you've been over here, huh?"

"You sure know how to pick the houses." I commented with a sly smile.

Kris got in the way between the two of us like the mother figure she was and called this meeting. "Alright, we can all catch up after some lunch. I'm starving, all I've had today was a donut and coffee!"

Another shrug from me as I looked over at my sis. "I could eat," I wasn't really that hungry, but I figured a nice meal would help set the mood to get us all caught up. I helped my sisters with the lunch after Kay got settled in. It wasn't much, just sandwiches and some chips with pop. But it was still a decent meal. We sat in the living room, the TV playing a show in the background. As we ate, we talked about what has been going on in our lives. Kay with her work at the animal shelter, my sister with the nonprofit and me with college. We laughed, we ate and we had fun. It had been way too long for me since I've really come out of my shell. I couldn't tell them everything, the fight between those creatures and me helping this man who I brought to my house. I tossed them aside as trivial matters, after all I doubted at the time they would come back up.

My sister set her plate aside and looked over at me with a smile. "So, me and Kay have some exciting news. We're holding a special fundraiser for the nonprofit."

"Really?" my eyes actually lit up like stars in the night sky.

Kay reached over to my sister's hand as the two looked at me. "It'll be the second one we've held. It may not be as special but this time we'll look at it with positivity."

I smiled sadly, but tried not to show my mixed emotions. The first fundraiser we ever held was when mom died, it was sort of a benefit and a farewell to the one that started it all. I wore black that day to honor her but tried to be brave. It was harder than I thought it would be. I did my best not to break down, I only allowed a few tears to escape from my eyes. It wasn't until after everyone had left I fell to the floor and sobbed out waterfalls. I understood what Kay meant though, this was supposed to be a celebration for the anniversary of the nonprofit since it was founded two years ago.

"We were waiting to tell you when you got here because we wanted it to be a surprise," Kris explained to me with a gentle smile. "I know the last one we had wasn't as happy or uplifting. But this year is going to be different. We're celebrating the birth of this nonprofit. Not the death of someone…"

"And, we need your help," Kay interrupted my sister as the room was beginning to grow cold. "The fundraiser is in a few days and we still have a few things we need to do. We need to make and hand out flyers, we need to get the decorations ready for the place we're hosting it, we also need someone to be in charged of the guest list. That's where you come in. You think you can handle all of that?"

I gave the two of them a reassuring smile and nodded. When it came to creativity and organization, those were my two best skills.

Kay smiled at me. "Then it's settled. We'll head over tomorrow to the office and get things ready. For now, we should just kick back and relax."

"You know no one says that anymore, right?" Kris smirks at her wife.

"Hey, you're the same age as me, so you can't say that you're hip!"

"At least I know what kids aren't saying these days. And hip is one of them." Kris laughed as Kay hit her with a pillow. I couldn't help but laugh seeing the two of them argue over the silliest of things. They really were a good couple, and in a way, I thought of them as my second family. Well, they were in a way my second family. It was nice to know that if there was something that was bothering me, I could talk to them about it. It made me feel guilty though, keeping certain secrets from them at the moment. But on the other hand, I don't want them to think little of me. I'm not the little sister that needs help all the time. I was almost 19 years old at the time, I needed to prove to them I could handle things on my own.

"Since we are going to be part of a special event, we should go shopping for some dresses!" Kris declared. "I got some catalogs to see some dresses we can use!"

"I dunno, it's a fundraiser, not a ball." I rubbed the back of my head as I spoke in a sheepish voice. I don't mind wearing gowns or skirts… It was just, I never really wanted to because I thought I didn't have the right body type. I usually like casual clothes because I liked being a lazy bum. I never really wanted to try makeup or anything so outgoing because it didn't feel like me.

"We should still look our best. Come on, it'll be fun!" Kris pleaded with me as she gave me the puppy eyes.

Kay sighed as she gave me an encouraging look. "Just get it over with Kate, you know how your sister gets with this stuff."

She did have a point there, my sister was the type to love shopping and fashion. I would just let her pick a dress for me and wear it to the fundraiser. It probably won't be that bad anyways. "Alright," I gave in with a small smile.

Kris jumped up from the couch and giggled like a little girl. "I'll go get the catalogs!" She then ran to her room to get started on the quest for the perfect dress! I sighed and Kay shook her head as she rolled her eyes.

"I know this whole shopping for a dress thing isn't your style, but this whole thing is more than the dresses. Your sister is really looking forward to this fundraiser and she just wants all of us to have a good time." Kay tried to assure me.

I nodded at her. "I know, but you don't have to try so hard for me. The nonprofit is one thing but I've been able to move on at a decent pace."

"And what about social life?"

"I… talk to people."

Kay crossed her arms over her chest and gave me a stern smile. "Kate, I know it's hard for you to make friends. Blaming it on your illness is one thing, and I know after what happened with your parents it wasn't any easier. But you're in college now and you should start thinking about relationships. I'm not saying you should go out and be friends with every stranger you meet. But you need to make new friends, get involved in more activities, and maybe even consider dating. If you really want your sister to stop worrying about you, you need to show her you're capable of making a functioning life for yourself. I'm not that worried about you because you've proven you can take care of yourself, but she's not that easy to persuade."

I stared down at the ground, taking in her words. I knew what she was trying to get at, and I wanted to do everything to make my sisters proud of me and show them they didn't have to worry about me. But, it was hard. There wasn't anyone in my neighborhood that was my age I could hang out with. Everyone at the college already thinks I'm either a nobody or a freak, and the only friend I do have is a few towns away and I have to use technology just to keep our relationship alive. I was a social outcast, and no matter how hard I tried, I failed at even attempting to make a friend with someone at one of my gathering places. Maybe I was just meant to be a loner, I mean, it's not a bad thing. I prefer to be alone at times, and I still had my sisters and brother and my friend, Tetra. I had people, so what was the big deal? The big deal was that those that had a lot of friends, were considered normal.

"You don't need to rush," Kay assured me, "but you will have to face up to it sooner or later. We should head to Kris and take a look at the catalogs."

I looked up at Kay and then around the living room where the dishes were scattered. "I'll be there in a minute. I just want to clean up the dishes."

"You don't have to do that you know."

"I'm your guest here, the least I can do is help out. It won't take me long, really."

With a defeated shrug, Kay walked away from the living room. I gathered the plates and cups and brought them into the kitchen. I began to rinse them off and place them in the dishwasher. I peeked over at the clock above the fridge and saw that it was only fifteen to two in the afternoon. Time certainly flies when you're busy chatting up a storm with your siblings. As I put the last plate into the dishwasher, I was about to make my way down the hallway and see what my sister's were up to. But once I closed the dishwasher door, I froze as my ears picked something up. I turned around and looked over the room I was in. I thought I had heard something… growling. I furrowed my eyebrows as the sound faded out, was I hearing things? I nearly jumped out of my skin as I heard a noise coming from the living room, it sounded like materials falling. I slowly made my way over and peeked in the room to see what could have fallen. My eyes soon landed upon the welcoming mat at the doorstep and I eased up seeing a small pile of envelopes on the rug. I headed over to the mail and looked to see what it was. Most of the letters were for Kris, talking about the nonprofit stuff. I walked into the kitchen and placed them on the counter so she could look at them later. But there was one envelope that stuck out the most, mainly because this one wasn't for my sister. I looked on the front of the white paper and saw my name on it. There was a golden sticker covering the front of it to seal the envelope. I was deeply confused, why would someone send me a letter to my sister's house?

I felt I would find the answers if I saw the contents. I opened up the envelope and took out the letter to see what it said.

"Dear Miss Kate,

You have been cordially invited to attend a party at my estate on April 18th at seven PM sharp. I will have a driver escort you to my manor so you will not need to worry about transportation. Be sure to show the butler your invitation when you get there, so he will let you in. I hope to see you there.

Sincerely, Markiplier.

I blinked rapidly, thinking my eyes were playing tricks on me. A party? Did I actually get invited to some party?! And it was supposed to be held today? Talk about getting a last minute invite. But what really stood out the most was who had signed it, Markiplier? I was instantly reminded of the let's play of Octodad and I swear I must have been sleeping. The Markiplier, Youtube's internet sensation was inviting me to one of his parties?! A random fan? I mean, yeah he's done stuff with fans before, but why me? Now that I thought about it, why was he hosting a party when he could be making videos? It didn't add up, but I was too distracted by the letter to really piece it all together at the time. It must have been a prank, what were the odds that Mark would really invite some nobody like me to something he was planning? Besides, according to his status, he lived in Seattle and I lived in Minnesota! How was I supposed to even get there? Even if I had left at that moment, I wouldn't be able to have gotten there in that time anyways. Then again, the letter did mention someone would pick me up. But how would they know where to find me? And wait, if this letter was addressed to me, why was it being mailed to my sister's location when I just got here?! "Okay…" I thought to myself as I stuffed the letter back in it's envelope. It was really strange, and I probably shouldn't have ridden it off. I should have told my sisters at that point.

I carried the envelope to my room and placed it on my desk. Then I headed back to where my two sisters were and saw that they were looking through the catalogues.

"Hey kid, you took longer than you promised." Kay told me as she saw me walk through the doorway.

"Sorry, I got distracted by the mail." I told them.

Kris looked at me from her magazine and asked, "anything important?"

"Just stuff for the nonprofit. Nothing too exciting. I put it on the counter."

"I'll look at it when we're done." Kris assured.  
"Hey, are you okay?" Kay asked me. I looked at her as she had a concerned expression. "You look a little pale there."

I titled my head, was she imagining things? Then again, for some reason I did feel dizzy for a moment there. I held my head in my hand to try and stop the strange feeling.

"Kate, you okay?" it was Kris's turn to be worried.

I was kind of feeling weirded out, I don't know why I was feeling it at that moment though. "I-I'm fine. Just… a little light headed."

"Maybe you should go lie down for a bit." Kay suggested.

"Uh… yeah, that sounds like a good idea." I turned around and headed to my bedroom. Closing the door, I headed to the futon and laid on the soft mattress. Oliver already nestled in the blankets, looked at me with a tilted head. My head didn't hurt that bad, but it felt like it was trying to get me to sleep. I don't know why, I wasn't tired. But clearly it had other plans. I figured an hour and a half nap would do me some good. I reached over for my phone and set my alarm to wake me up at 3:30. As I set my phone down, I looked over at the letter I placed the device on. I rolled my eyes, thinking about the very idea of being invited to such an event by someone you admired so. I rolled over onto the mattress and when my lids closed over my eyes, I drifted into a peaceful slumber.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I woke up to the sound of my alarm on my phone. I instantly bolted up because the song I chose had such a loud beginning. I really needed to change that alarm one of these days. I reached over to the nightstand and shut off my phone to stop the alarm. I then rubbed my eyes to get the sand out. I felt a bit better though, the headache was gone. Guess a small nap was what I needed after all. I turned my body around, expecting Oliver to look at me. Strangely though, I didn't feel his weight on the mattress. In fact, he wasn't anywhere on the bed or in the room. "Oliver?" I looked around and called out his name. No response. I tossed my feet onto the floor and stood up. I walked out of the room and down the hall. "Hello? Kris? Kay?" I called out to anyone in the house. I checked their bedroom, the bathroom and the living room but no one was there. "Okay… this is weird. Where is everyone? Did they leave? But why take Oliver?" I decided to head back to my room and use my phone, to call my sister and see where she was. Upon entering the room however, I spotted something right next to my phone and even the invitation I got. A cardboard box rested on top of the nightstand. My eyes widened as they fell onto the object. "Was… that there when I woke up?" I walked over to the box and saw a note on it.

" **Kate, I found this dress in one of the catalogs and ordered it for you. I want you to try it on and go to the bathroom to try out a new hairstyle. Take a picture and send it to me when you are done."**

"Well, this does sound like something my sister would do. But that doesn't answer the question of where they are." I should have called them on the spot right then and there, but I instead opened the box and peaked inside, wondering what it was. I took out a UK Long Chiffon Evening Party Prom Dress that was Floor-Length. It had this diamond belt pattern around the waist. It was actually beautiful to be honest. I looked into the box to take out the rest of the items. There were Guess Women's Hotspot Platform Dress pumps that matched the dress color, an Allurez ladies Bezel set round diamond tennis bracelet, a bling jewelry rhinestone and pearl silver princess bridal tiara crown, a royal blue picasso calla lily wrist corsage with pearl bracelet and finally an ice created sapphire, created white sapphire sterling silver pendant.

My jaw nearly dropped to the floor. I knew my sister had such high taste in fashion, but I never would have thought she would go all out. This whole set must have cost here over a thousand dollars at least. Where on earth would she have gotten such a set, and deliver it here within nearly two hours? Still, if she wanted me to try it on and get a reaction from her, I suppose it wouldn't hurt. I just hoped she kept the receipt. I took off my clothes and put on the dress first. Took me a while, but it soon fit on me. I then fit into the heels to try and walk around in them. They were hard to get ahold of at first, but eventually I was able to somehow walk around with ease. I then placed on the jewelry and headed towards the bathroom to get a good look at myself in the mirror. I had to say… I did look very formal. It seemed a bit much for a fundraiser though, but a part of me actually liked seeing myself like this. I did like to dress up every now and then, it was just so much work I tended to avoid it. As I looked at my reflection, a part of me can hardly believe that I was going to be 19 in only a few months. Where does the time go, I wondered. I took off the crown and decided to throw my hair in a different style, to try and make the crown stand out a bit more. I threw it up in a messy but delicate bun, since that was the only type of bun I knew how to do. I then placed the tiara on my head and smiled to myself. I kind of looked like a princess or a girl ready to go to prom to be nominated homecoming queen. I thought the dress and the accessories were actually bringing out my true beauty.

I went back to my room in an attempt to grab my phone. I was just going to take a picture of myself in the outfit and send it to Kris. See what she thought and if she liked it, I would wear it to the fundraiser. I had grabbed my phone along with the case. Just as I was about to turn on my phone, I was interrupted by a knock on the front door. I stood still for a moment, not sure if I heard it or if it was just my mind playing tricks on me. The knock came again, louder this time. I hurried over down the hall, into the living room and looked through the peephole to see who was knocking so loudly. My eye fixated on a man in a suit standing outside. I was baffled by the guy, for I never seen him before. I opened the door so I was face to face with the man.

"Can I help you?"

He smiled at me gently and bowed. "Are you Miss Kate Leer?"

"Y-yes."

"Ah, are you ready to leave?"

"Leave?"

"For the party of course. You got the invitation, did you not?" he pointed at my hand and I looked to see the invitation I had picked up. The one from the YouTuber himself. That was odd, I didn't remember picking it up. I looked back at the man and blinked. "I have been ordered by Mark himself to pick you up and drop you off at the manor. He is expecting you to show up and is very excited to see you there."

I just stared at the man with a blank expression, not really sure how to respond at first. I had actually forgotten about the party that was being thrown tonight. I actually thought it was some kind of prank, but if he was here… and he clearly saw the invite and he looked genuine enough. I should have said that I had no interest in going, that it was some sort of mistake. I mean, I'm a huge fan of Markiplier, don't get me wrong but to get an invitation to one of his parties that was being thrown that very night out of the blue, seemed really unnatural to me. I was flattered, but out of all of his fans he could have invited, why me? Besides, I wasn't good at parties or social gatherings. I'd probably just end up looking like a fool in front of everyone else. Suddenly, Kay's words of wisdom came flooding through my mind and echoed.

" **Kate, I know it's hard for you to make friends… But you're in college now… You need to make new friends, get involved in more activities, and maybe even consider dating... If you really want your sister to stop worrying about you, you need to show her you're capable of making a functioning life for yourself."**

Those words cut deep inside me, but she was right. I couldn't spend the rest of my life running away. I was actually invited to some event and if Markiplier wanted me there, it would be rude to turn him down. I looked back up at the man and raised my hand towards him. "Could you give me a minute? I need to get my purse." He nodded and I headed back to my room to grab my small purse. I shouldn't go, especially without my sisters knowing. I reached for my phone and made to call my sister to try and tell her about the situation. It went right to voicemail. My stomach got an aching feeling, but at the tone, I left her a message. "Hey Kris, it's me Kate. Listen, a friend of mine dropped on by and wanted me to come with them to a party. I know it's last minute but I'll be sure to keep my phone on me and give you updates about the situation. Call me if you have any concerns." I hung up the phone and put it in my purse. I turned back to face the doorway and took a deep breath. I couldn't believe I was actually going through with this. I walked down the hallway and headed back to the front door where the driver was still waiting for me. When I walked out of the front door, closed and locked it behind me, I turned back to him and he smiled and nodded at me.

"Are you all set?"

"Yes, we may leave." I assured him. He then lead me down the small path from the street to the front of the house, where a black Gallant knight limousine was waiting for us. I was actually impressed by the car choice used to pick me up. The man opened the back seat for me and I went in and sat on the comfy seats. He closed the door and made his way to the driver seat.

"We should be at the manor within the hour. Please enjoy the trip." The man told me and began to drive. I looked out the window as we began to drive off. I felt like I was walking into being kidnapped, but at least I had my phone on me. So if things got rough, I could at least text my sister the address and she could come and get me. I plugged in my headphone and listened to my music, being drifted away into my mind and fantasies as the car took me to wherever this manor was.

?

I must have dozed off for a while because when I looked up from my seat to see where I was, I was staring out to see that the car had stopped at the end of a driveway. I couldn't really make out the house because the view was blocked by a bunch of trees and a vast iron gate. I looked forward to see the driver unlock the doors, his smile caught in the rear-view mirror on the dashboard. "We are here, Miss Leer. The mansion is just up ahead of the driveway. Best hurry now, the party will begin in less than ten minutes." I looked at the clock up on the dashboard and saw that it was already 6:50 PM. I gathered my things and opened the door to step out. When I closed the car door behind me, I took a few steps towards the gate and turned around to watch the driver ride off.

I sighed in annoyance. "Great, so much for getting a ride back home." I turned around and continued to make my way towards the gate. It was already opened once the driver left and I walked up the long driveway towards the manor. I had to say, the outside alone was very outstanding. The place was surrounded by lush greenery, the driveway seemed alive with the most precious stones to coat the path, and the mansion itself. The architects must have fancied old gothic buildings as the walls on the outside were made of actual stone, with many windows everywhere and statues placed along the front yard. I knew Markiplier was rich from his Youtube career, but I didn't think he'd be able to afford something like this. And considering that he hasn't even made any new videos for a long while, that was saying a lot.

Now that I thought about it, just looking at this house for some reason gave me the chills. I couldn't explain it at the time, but just the house gave me an unsettling feeling. I thought it was just my social awkwardness at the time kicking in, but it wasn't until later I soon realized the horrors that would await me. I walked around the front of the building, trying to locate the front entrance. I was invited here, the least I could do was check it out. If the party wasn't in my favor, I'll just get a ride home. That's what I promised myself. As I continued to walk to the front, I checked my phone again, it was already three minutes passed 6:50, and still no call or text from either of my sisters. You would think that they would raise a few questions about me leaving the house to go to some party. Clearly they were either too busy to notice or they were just happy I was putting myself out there. I rolled my eyes and put the phone back in my purse. My eyes finally found the front entrance of the building, but I wasn't the only one that was just arriving. There was a man walking up towards the door, just standing in the front porch. He had on a strange outfit, one that looked like he was ready to go on a safari with his black knee high boots and cream colored coat and safari hat. Clearly he didn't get the memo that this was a formal event. Then again, I wasn't even sure if this party was really formal! I walked up the stairs until I was only a foot away from the man. He must have heard me coming because he turned around and looked at me. His thick black mustache covered most of his lips, and he wore the strangest glasses, where his left lens had multiple smaller lenses to the side.

"Oh, bully!" He remarked with such a thick accent. "And here I thought I was gonna be the last guest to arrive."

"Uh… hello…" I smiled awkwardly as I waved to him. He was a very strange man just by his appearance, and I didn't really know how to respond to him. "Is this… really where Mark lives?"

"You must mean Markiplier!" The man puffed out his chest and nodded at me. "You are in the right place, my dear."

"Oh, thanks for the clarification. I'm… Kate… Kate Leer." I reached out to shake his hand, trying to be polite.

He looked down at it and only placed his hands behind his back to bow at me. "My friends call me the Colonel. You're welcome to do the same, should it please you."

I placed my hand back at my side. At first I was a bit offended that he didn't even shake my hand for a small greeting. But when I heard the word friends in his sentence, a small smile graced my lips. "Well then, you may call me Cosmo if you wish. My friends are the only ones that call me that."

"Cosmo? What a lovely name!" He rang out the name as if it were a song. A small blush crossed my face for a moment. I haven't told a stranger my alias just by meeting them. But he seemed to like it, perhaps I should consider being called Cosmo more often. I liked it a lot better than Kate anyways. "Well now, we shouldn't be spending our night away out here when the party is on the other side. After you." He gestured towards the door. I looked over to him and gave him a small bow of respect. He looked weird, but he seemed nice. I walked up to the door and opened it to be greeted by a young man in a Butler outfit.

"Ah, bonjour!" He greeted me with a warm smile as I entered the hallway. "Welcome to Markiplier Manor. Your invitation, please." I reached into my purse and gave him the envelope with the letter inside. He took it with his gloved hands as he kept his smile on me. "Very good, very good. Right this way." He lead me inside, and it was even more breathtaking. The whole room alone looked like something out of **The Great Gatsby** **.** There were statues around every corner, the floor was either a polished oak or a sparkling limestone, even the furniture was coated in lavish fabric and antiques such as a grand piano was placed in the corner.

"Woah…" I gently awed as I was in the living room now. I've never been in a setting such as this before. It was almost as if I was among the high class, rich society for once. And it felt like such a thrill.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" I snapped out of my thoughts and turned towards the Butler as he looked at me with his gleaming face. "My master spared no expense when he wanted to host this party. He figured it would be a wonderful idea for everyone to come together and celebrate in the merriment."

"And, what are we celebrating exactly?" I asked as I turned towards the Butler.

"I'm afraid only Markiplier himself will be delivering that news." I could hear the hint of misChief in his voice, but it seemed more of a playful manner so I let it slide. "Pardon me, but I must fetch the drinks for the other guests. I do hope you enjoy your stay." He turned and headed off into another room, most likely one where the alcohol was. I shook my head at the very idea of drinking. It's not that I don't dislike it, I mean I was still young and I only had maybe a shot or two in my lifetime, mostly as a tease from my family. But I wasn't going to get drunk and have it be an excuse for me to stay here longer than I needed to. Not to mention if my sisters were to come get me and see me drunk, they would no doubt beat the toxins out of me. I had to make sure I wouldn't drink any alcohol at this party, I had to stay strong.

I walked down the entry steps and made my way to the living room. I saw two guest already. One of them was a man with a thin but hairy beard, he also had on a weird outfit, a long brown trench coat, a gray vest with a tie and black pants as well as a thinking cap, he looked like a Detective. The man he was talking to wore a black suit with a white undershirt. He had a black cane with a silver top and he looked very familiar somehow. I didn't really plan to make any contact with them at all, but like the Colonel, they somehow knew I was approaching them. The one in the black suit turned towards me, a surprised expression on his face but a smile soon replaced it. "Oh! Greetings, my lady."

"Uh… hi." I nervously smiled at the man. I glanced to see the other guy he was talking to was walking away. Probably giving us some time to talk. I then looked back at the man. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation."

He looked over to where the other man was, then back to me with a reassuring smile. "No need to apologize, we weren't talking about anything important at all. I am Damien, it's a pleasure to meet you." He reached out his hand to me as his other was holding his cane. I looked down at the offer and I became less nervous. I reached out and shook the hand, looking back up at him I said,

"I'm Kate Leer. It's an honor to meet you as well Damien." We let our hands go, and now that I was able to get a good look at his face, I couldn't help but thought at the time that the features really stuck out. "You look familiar… have we met before?"

"I don't believe so. But then again, I do have a face that is widely known. Perhaps you've seen me in certain media?" the corners of his lips curled upwards, his smile widening.

I thought for a moment, but my brain was drawing a blank. "I'm sorry, I feel I should know you but… I can be bad with faces and names…"

He shook his head gently with a kind expression and laughed. "It happens to everyone now and then. But you seem nervous, is it the atmosphere?"

"Oh no... it's just, this is my first time being at a party such as this. Well, a party in general where the one hosting it isn't related to me at all. But I figured it would be a good idea to get out of the house for a bit and try to put myself out there…" A blush came to my face as I said that sentence. "N-not in that way though! I'm-I'm not looking for any trouble or getting involved in any shady deals… hehe…" I fiddled with my fingers nervously as I was embarrassing myself in front of a stranger.

But Damien only chuckled, causing me to look up into those brown eyes of his sparkling with passion. "You are quite interesting, Miss Leer. Do not worry about making such a scene in front of these people. I think you will find that they are even stranger than yourself. But they are good people once you get to know them."

"Yeah… maybe I'm overthinking this. Thanks, I'll try to have a good time here."

He nodded towards me and began to make his way past me. "Well now, I hope to see you at the table soon, but try not to rob me blind again." He chuckled as he made his way out of the room. I turned around and watched him leave, a perplexed look was scribbled on my face. What did he just say? Rob him blind again? What did he mean by that? I just met the guy, not like I had the time to take anything from him. Maybe it was some sort of joke that he liked to tell strangers. He was wearing a very fancy suit, perhaps he had money or he had an important title around here. Perhaps it is just some common occurrence to him that it has become a laughing matter. I shouldn't think too much of it, I was only going to stay awhile and see where the night took me. While I had no plans on drinking that night, I was getting a bit famish in the stomach. It had been awhile since I last ate. I'm sure Mark wouldn't mind if I helped myself to some snacks, after all he was the host and he should be able to provide for his guests. I walked through the living room, trying to find out where the food was. I was soon taken to what looked like the dining room, with a large table and there was a man that was picking up a silver tray from the table and holding a soup ladle. He must have been the Chief for the night based on his white outfit. His long black, wavy hair was in a ponytail and his tan and muscular body didn't really make him seem that friendly at first. Naturally, blinded by my own hunger, I walked up to him and smiled kindly.

"Excuse me," it was the first time that night I spoke with some confidence. But it was quickly dashed away once he looked at me with those deep sunken brown eyes.

"If you're looking for hors d'oeuvres, I'll get 'em when I'm good and ready!" He barked at me. I was taken aback by his sudden attitude. I blinked as I wasn't sure how to answer him at first. I shook my head and tried to regain myself.

"S-sorry if I… disturbed you. I was just wondering where I could find the snacks for tonight."

"Like I said before, I'll get them when I want!" He turned his heels and made his way to what seemed like the kitchen with the items in hand. Before he could go in, he turned back to me, the ladle pointing only a few inches from my face as he literally growled the threat; "And stay out of my kitchen!" I stepped back, a bit frightened by his sudden threat. I only just met the guy, why was he acting so hostile? All I wanted was to know where the snacks were. Now that I looked at him, he seemed ready to attack me. I figured it would be best if I just ignored him for the rest of the night.

"Now, now." A familiar voice called out. I turned towards the other side of the dining room where the Butler was, holding a tray of glasses. He was calling out the Chief and I was glad someone was there to get me out of that conversation before it escalated further. I hurried my way towards the younger man, relief filled me as I was only a few feet away from him. "Let's not be rude to our guest." He warned the cook with a stern expression. He turned back to me once the other had left. "So sorry about that. The Chief serves some good food, but he can be hostile to new people, especially his bosses."

"Well, I guess not everyone is a party person." I smiled like a dork as I said that comment. The Butler smiled as he reached for one of the glasses on the tray and handed it to me.

"Here, have some champagne. I'm sure it will help loosen up your nerves."

"O-oh! I'm sorry, but I don't drink alcohol. I'm uh…" I wanted to say something that would get me out of drinking. I would have said underaged, but that might raise a few questions. I should have said I wasn't thirsty or not much of a drinker, but the words seemed to have failed me.

"Nonsense, it's only one glass. It's not like it will kill you." He said that in a joking manner, but for some reason it felt like there was more behind his words. I could only take the glass and stare at the liquid for a moment, observing my reflection. As I looked inside, all I could see was someone else. Someone who looked liked she could fit into a place like this, surrounded by people like them. But that was only an illusion, a facade of who I was. Someone I was pretending to be but I wasn't. I don't know this girl, and I didn't want to know her. Because she was probably just as bad of a mess as I was. "Enjoy your evening." The Butler walked off, leaving me here with a drink. One I wasn't planning on drinking. I didn't even know what I was doing here. I was just hurting myself by pretending to act like I truly care about who I wanted to be. As nice as this fantasy was, I knew it would only be a matter of time before it comes crashing down on me. I looked out to spy a staircase where a vase of flowers were nestled into the spiral portion. I quickly headed to the vase and dumped my drink in the flowers. I was about to leave my glass there when I heard footsteps coming down the spiral staircase. I looked up and my eyes lit up like a burning fire, regaining its passion. The man that was coming down was wearing a silky red robe, hair slicked back and black slippers. Though he looked a lot different than the last time I saw him, his voice confirmed he was the real deal.

"Welcome, welcome, one and all! My name is Markiplier. Thank you for joining me on this auspicious evening. It's so good to be surrounded by such close and trusted friends." He called out at the top of the stairs throughout the household. I was the only one in the small hallway, perhaps there were others listening and I didn't see them at the time. He went on. "Now, this evening, it's not all about the poker. It's not all about me." He turned his gaze towards me, specifically me and pointed at me with his handsome features. "It's about you." I nearly had the breath taken out of me at that moment. My face heated up as I tried my best to contain my inner fangirl. Mark was talking to me directly! It was like a dream come true! "So drink up," Mark continued, "and be merry! Life is for the living! And who knows? I could be dead tomorrow." He cackled as he made his way down the stairs. Turning in my direction, I hid the empty glass behind my back but I could not hide my blush. "Ah! Miss Leer! So good of you to make it! I was hoping to see you tonight."

I stared at the man, idolizing him even in that strange outfit. I had always been a fan of Markiplier since I first discovered him with his 'The Evil Within' series. Even when he wasn't making videos anymore, I stilled subscribed to him because I believed he would come back. I could only nod to him, trying hard not to say anything that could potentially embarrass myself. I rubbed the back of my head, my nerves were all jittery as I looked up at him.

A smile rest on his lips as he kept his eyes on me. "No need to be so formal or nervous. I know that fans try not to embarass themselves in front of their idols, but you don't have to feel that way around me. I like meeting my fans, and since you're one of them it's a pleasure for you to be here."

"W-well… thank you, Markiplier." I nervously said as I looked at the ground. "But if anyone should be honored, it should be me for being invited in the first place."

"Well, I'm glad you could make it. I certainly hope you enjoy your stay. I must attend to the other guests, so feel free to roam around. After all, the night has only just begun!"

"O-of course." I nodded and watched him walk off down the hall. A part of me felt like melting into a puddle right then and there. I couldn't believe it, I had talked to Markiplier in person! It really did seem like a dream come true! How can I leave now when he was so kind to me?! He clearly invited me here for a reason, and though I didn't know why at the time I was too excited to care. Since the night was still young and the mansion was so big, I took the time to explore more of the building.

I have to say, I never would have thought Mark would live in a place like this. I mean, I knew he did events and was really well famous that he gained a good salary for himself. But to spend this much on one evening and to live here… it must have been lonely. As far as I knew, Mark seemed to have lived alone. Maybe he was only renting the place just for the night? Still seemed a bit excessive, but what do I know about throwing parties? I went back to the living room where the grand piano was, and saw two new figures. One of them was in a business like suit, all black with a blue and white plaid tie. I only saw the back of his head as I was going over to talk to him, to introduce myself. As I neared him however, another glass of alcohol was presented to me. I took a step back as I nearly knocked right into the cup.

"Howdy there, missy!" I turned my head to see a cowboy like character with a thick mustache and a big cowboy hat with sunglasses was holding the cup in my face. I stared and blinked at the strange man who really looked out of character for such an event. "Care for a drink, little lady? How about two? Or maybe even five?!"

"Uh… n-no thank you. I'm… really not much of a drinker…" I calmly stated as I backed away from him. I only took a couple of steps back when I bumped into someone. I looked up and saw the man in the suit that I was about to introduce myself to. He looked down upon me with a kind smile full of curiosity. "Oh! I'm sorry!" I hurried back and looked at him embarrassed.

"It's fine, you don't need to apologize." The man assured me. "We're all guests here, so no need to be so formal."

"Well, maybe not for the people you know." I rubbed my arm with my left hand, feeling slightly out of place as these two men surrounded me. The one in the more business like suit reached his hand out to me in a gentle manor. I took the hand in his and we shook our arms for a brief moment.

"The name's Bim Trimmer. I'm a news reporter and a gameshow host. Perhaps you've heard of me before in the news and on certain game shows. Like ' **Disc of Riches'** and ' **Hire My Ass'.** "

"Uh… I can't say I've heard of those two shows." I honestly stated.

Bim looked at me with a disappointed expression, but he shrugged it off quickly. At least I was able to avoid an awkward situation for the evening. "So… did Mark invite you two because you know him?"

"Know him?" the cowboy character jumped at the question. "Why, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be able to have gotten my business start in the big city!"

I stared at the guy in the hat for a moment, his thick accent was kind of over the top, but he didn't seem that bad of a guy. "Ed Edgar here is known for his business deals. He's helped sponsored a lot of my shows with his advertisements." Bim explained to me. I nodded slightly, a bit intrigued now knowing who these two seemed to be.

"If you don't mind my asking, what is your business name?" I asked Ed.

"Why, Baby Bulk Buy!"

I raised a brow and had a confused smile on my lips. "I'm sorry,"

"Adoptallott's Baby Bulk Buy!"

Now I was even more confused. I thought about what he meant, what his job actually was. I laughed nervously as I thought I understood what he said. "Oh… you mean like an orphanage."

"Nope," Ed shook his head as he kept his serious yet hilarious attitude. "I sell live babies! We have all kinds of babies, small ones to big ones, babies of all shapes, sizes and colors. Heck, I'll even sell my own son! By the way," he took a step closer towards me, invading my personal bubble. "You wouldn't happen to be in the market for a kid, would you?"

I took a step back from Ed, feeling uncomfortable just from the conversation alone. "Thanks for the… offer, but I'm not even done with college yet. I'm not really looking for a kid to take care of." I raised my hands defensively to make my point. 'Besides, if I ever wanted a kid I would make my own.' I added the last part mentally. "Well, uh… it was nice talking to you both. But I think I should see where Markiplier is."

"Ah yes, he mentioned something about poker!" Ed suddenly had a new spike of energy in his voice as he said that line. "We better find out where the game room is! With any luck, maybe I'll be winning a couple stacks of bucks myself by the end of the night." He laughed and headed out of the room to try and find everyone else.

He certainly was a character, I had to admit. But I don't think I would like to associate myself with him for the rest of the party. What kind of business is dedicated to selling live babies?! And selling them no less! That was a topic I definitely didn't want to explore further. I looked over at Bim Trimmer who was writing a few things on a notepad. "Are you… taking notes?"

Bim looked over at me with a raised eyebrow. "As a reporter, my job is to report what happens here. This is the party of the year and I do not intend to waste an opportunity such as getting the details such as these!"

"Well, good luck with your report." I said to him as I myself headed off to other places around the house. There was still so much to see and the night was still young. I wondered what other guests arrived here and what their personalities were like. I only made it to what looked to be the parlor, when I saw yet another guest. This one was sitting in a chair by his lonesome. He was holding a clipboard and he seemed to have been writing a few things down on the paper. My feet drew me closer to the man to get a better look at him. He was wearing blue scrubs and a white Doctors coat. He also had a head mirror on his forehead, like he was ready to do surgery. Looks like he wasn't that interested in dressing up for such an event either. I was so busy looking at his anterior and judging him that I didn't even noticed his brown eyes were staring at me until I looked at his face. I was taken aback by his gaze for a moment. He probably thought I was invading his privacy, and that was the last impression I wanted to make. "O-oh… I'm sorry. I, uh, didn't mean to stare at you. I was just… looking around the manor." I tried to sound honest, and I was. Perhaps I was getting too sidetracked by the guests, but I was interested to know who else Markiplier invited to that party.

The Doctor got up from his seat and for a moment, as he passed me I thought he was going to find somewhere else to do whatever it was he was doing before I got to the room. But he started to circle his way around me, not once, or twice but three times. It was like he was a vulture and I was a corpse waiting to be picked up. Again, that uncomfortable feeling was crawling it's way back up my being. It worsened when he actually took the pen he was writing with and poked my stomach with it. I watched him as he eyed my belly, making me feel self-conscious at that moment as well. "...218."

I blinked, dumbfounded. "What?"

"218 pounds," he repeated, "that's how much you weigh."

My face instantly heated up when he added that. I was slightly impressed, I won't lie, that he knew my weight. But that didn't make it any less embarrassing. I wrapped my arms around my torso trying to hide my excess fat from this… strange lunatic. He wasn't done talking though. "Don't be too offended. After all, everyone has their own body types. And considering that you are 18 years of age and about 5'4 to 5'6, this body weight would be close to normal. If not, just a little over the top, no pun intended. Still, I'm sure you could lose about five of those pounds if you change up your diet and try to exercise a few times a week. Unless of course you're insulin resistant. I could probably prescribe you some medication to help stable yourself."

I backed away from the man, as he was talking nonsense and personal about me when I hardly knew him. "O...kay, no offense, but all of this stuff is pretty personal to me and I'd rather not discuss these matters in a setting such as this. And how did you even know all of this anyways?! What, did you sneak into a hospital to gain my records?"

"Im Dr. Iplier, it's my job to know my patients." He answered.

"Well, I'm not your patient. And I didn't come here for a checkup." I was starting to get annoyed, but at that point could you really blame me when he was talking to me like that? Especially when I only just met him.

The Doctor shrugged and looked back at his clipboard. "That's true, this is a party. Forgive me, sometimes it's hard for me to get out of my Doctor mode. In truth, I'd rather be spending the night at my office filing some paperwork for my clients."

"Sounds kind of…" I trialed off, not really wanting to finish that sentence. I wanted to say boring, but then again my idea for a Friday night isn't that exciting anyways. Usually I stay up all night typing away on my computer and chating with my friends, which I pretty much do every night anyways.

I expected him to kind of judge me once again, saying that I didn't know how hard it was being a Doctor. But he shrugged again and flipped a few pages on his clipboard. "It's not an exciting night, but if it means that I can protect and save lives, then how I use my time should be the least of my own concerns."

"You sound really committed to your job," I complimented him. "Is it that important to you?"

"If by it and my job, you mean saving the lives of the patients that are placed upon my hands, then yes. For more than one reason of course."

"My mom was a care coordinator, so in a way I can relate. I've met a lot of people from her work that needed help and she and her Doctor were able to get them back on their feet. Sometimes literally." I laughed at the last part, and I could hear a chuckle from Dr. Iplier. Not exactly the kind of conversation I was planning to have, but at least I was talking to someone without feeling uncomfortable or embarass… at the moment at least. "If you wanted to only work tonight, why did you come here anyways? If you don't mind me asking."

"Well, Mark wanted all of us to gather here tonight. He wanted to bring the gang back together and enjoy ourselves. He's a selfless one that Mark. Out of all of us, he knows I push myself too hard in what I do. So he thought this would be a good opportunity for me to relax a bit and forget about my job."

"It looks like you're more attuned to your work at the moment," I glanced back at his clipboard he was still holding in his hands.

"Just a few cases I need to look over for tomorrow. I'd rather take work than party any day. I'm not really one for social gatherings to be frank."

"Tell me about it. I only came here because Markiplier invited me, though I don't know why. Still, I'm flattered that one of my idols actually brought me to this event. But I'm sure I'll only make myself look like an idiot in front of him."

"Well, Mark himself can act foolish even on purpose. So I doubt you have any reason to worry." I looked up at the Doctor and his words helped calm me down. Even though our first encounter together was very out of line, he seemed like a good man who deeply loved his job. "Well now," he went over to the chair he was sitting in and was putting away his clipboard in his briefcase. "I think I've gotten all I needed. I should have some fun before Mark sees me overworking myself again. I hope to see you later Miss…"

"Cosmo, you can call me Cosmo." I told him with a smile. He smiled back at me and walked out of the parlor. The last place I went to before I truly began to have any fun was the library. I walked through the open door as I was getting lost in this manor. Though it was not a big library, it certainly was impressive. There were shelves upon shelves of books lined up against the walls. A large fireplace was snuggled between two bookshelves with a comfortable reading chair and throw rug next to it. I walked up and down the rows of books, seeing which ones Mark would have. I pulled one out randomly and read the title.

"Ha, I remember reading this for my senior year. Where does the time go?" I asked myself as I held the work of Mary Shelley's famous piece of literary in my hand. I picked out another book that I was also familiar with, one by F. Scott Fitzgerald. " _ **The Great Gatsby'.**_ Considering the set up of this place, it actually fits in here. I wonder if this was where Mark got his theme for the party." I rolled my eyes in a humor way just thinking about Markiplier being a fan of these kinds of books. Sure, they were pieces of history in the literary world, but I never would have thought he would be fascinated with these copies. Then again, I didn't know much about Mark's personal life that much. I knew he was trying to be an engineer before becoming a full-time YouTuber, I also know that his mother was of Korean descent and that his dad passed away when he was young. I also know his birthday was on June 28th and he was born in 1989, just ten years before me. I realized as I thought about that fact how embarrassing it was comparing my age to him. I shook that idea from my head and placed the book back where I found it. I then noticed yet another title I was familiar with. "No way… he actually has **House of the Scorpion** **!** I read this my first year of high school! I guess Mark really is a fan of reading. Though it sure is weird that he has a lot of titles relating to works we read in school. Then again, these works are meant for everyone." I placed the book back and was about to search for a few more when my ears picked up something. I stopped walking and looked around the room, to try and find the source. It sounded like someone was muttering something, but I couldn't tell what it was about.

I walked around the room, trying to locate where that muttering was coming from. I had thought I was the only one in the library at the time, but clearly I didn't account of turning around a certain corner to see someone sitting at a desk. He was using a lamp as his light as he wrote on some paper with a feather quill. I walked up to the man, expecting him to acknowledge me standing beside him. But he went on to writing what was on the paper. As I got closer to him, I was able to hear what he was saying.

"... The young girl was staring at the man writing at the desk. She had no idea that he was more interested in writing the story that was playing out, that he was tunning her out completely." I raised my eyebrow as he was talking to himself while writing. Was he trying to write some story? It sounded interesting. "The girl was confused by the man's actions as he kept writing on the paper. But at the same time she was also intrigued with what he was doing she could not keep her eyes off of him and his work." This time I stood back as he said that line outloud. Was he… talking about me? Nah, it was probably just a coincidence. "She backed away, caught off guard at the idea of what the man was writing about. But she shook off the thought, thinking it was just a coincidence that her reactions and thoughts were mirroring the character he was writing about."

"Uh…" I should have just left this strange man to whatever it was he was doing. But on the other hand, I wanted to know what he was writing about, especially if it somehow involved me. "Excuse me… sir?" the quill in his hands stopped in motion. He placed the writing utensil down on the desk and turned his body so he was facing me. My jaw dropped as I got a good look at the man before me. He wore a long trench coat over his figure and his hair was slicked back to the point that it looked like oil. But the most noticeable feature he had was the pinkish cloth that covered his eyes like a blindfold. I was especially disturbed when I thought I saw traces of blood where the eyes should have been. "Oh… I'm sorry to disturb you…" I tried but failed to keep myself together as I saw the man's full figure and his details. He looked like something from a horror series, and not the cheesy kind that made me laugh because of how fake everything was due to the terrible effects.

"You are interrupting me from my work." His calm voice snapped me out of my trace as I stared mostly at the face.

"Sorry," was the only word I was able to say to him at the time. I didn't really know what to think when I first saw the man. I was scared that he might hurt me, but I didn't want to be rude so I could only mutter a single word.

"Tell me child, do you know what you have gotten yourself into?" the question was so sudden and so random, I thought he was toying with me to try and get ideas for his story. I stared at him, and though he couldn't see me I could sense that he could feel my very presence. It only made the situation even more creepy to me. But he kept talking while I listened. "You should not be here, you are placing yourself in a situation far greater than you bargained for. Do you really think that you would be invited here to have a good time and not expect any consequences? You are here for a reason, and that reason is bound to catch up to you eventually. The question is, will you be ready when the time comes and what actions will you take?"

I put a couple more feet between the two of us. He was uttering nonsense at this point, and it was starting to get to me. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, for fear he might try something if I looked away. I clenched my heart, growing nervous as the words sunk into my skin like poison. I don't know why his words were getting to me, but for some reason it was like I should have been processing what he said and understood. I wish I did at the time, because I probably could have avoided this whole mess. Then again, I wouldn't be where I am today. I was entranced in his words, that I jumped when I felt a strong hand being placed on my shoulder. I turned around and was relieved to see Damien standing behind me with a concerned expression.

"Miss Leer, there you are." Damien looked me in the eyes as he said this. "I was looking for you, I see you've met the Host." I looked back over to the blindfolded man as he didn't take his view off of me. I scooted closer to Damien by instinct, not really trusting the man who was talking to me in gibberish. The Host, as Damien called him, turned back in his seat and went back to writing. I slowly began to walk out of the room and walk down the hall with Damien by my side. "Are you alright?"

I turned back to see Damien as the two of us walked together. "S-sorry… I was just looking around the mansion and stumbled upon the library. I met the Host, as you call him, and he started to say a bunch of things to me."

"What sort of thing?" Damien asked.

I rubbed my left arm up and down as goosebumps started to form on my skin. "Something about me being here and consequences. He was writing something and… he started talking to me."

"Did he make you feel uncomfortable?"

"Honestly, very. I'm glad you showed up when you did, I didn't want to be in that situation."

"I'm sorry about the Host, he is a writer, author of many great novels. Though he can sometimes lose his grip between reality and the fictional world. He does mean well though, and his works are exceptional."

"What kind of name is 'The Host'?"

"It's his pen name, what he goes by when he writes his story. We don't call him by his real name, says it adds to his mysterious character." Damien explained.

"So he writes horror and mystery, huh?" a smile crossed my face as I thought about the books he could have wrote. "That does explain a lot."

"Do you like to read, Miss Leer?"

"Yeah, I love to read books. My favorite ones are fantasies, but I like to read a good horror and action now and then. Actually, I've been trying my hand in writing and hoping to get a few of my books out."

"Interesting," Damien smiled as we kept walking. "How many works have you gotten published?"

A small blush of embarrassment crossed my face as I rubbed the back of my head, keeping my eyes away from his face "Well, I haven't actually finished one of my stories. In truth, I work hard on one story and then I get started on another and then another. So it's hard for me to actually finish a story before going on to the next. That's probably why I won't be getting one out there soon."

I could feel him smiling at me. "Well, I'm sure if you keep up your attitude and passion, you will be able to reach your goals. You shouldn't be so down on yourself. I have a feeling that if you keep going down the path you are walking, you will eventually find something. And what that something is… well, you'll just have to wait and see for yourself when you get there."

I looked back at him again, his smile was warm and gentle. I smiled back at him in the same manner. Even though we had only met and barely knew each other, he gave off such a trusting vibe that it made me lower my guard whenever he was around. I felt like I could just tell him everything about me, and he wouldn't judge me. "By the way," I broke our contact with each other as I began my question. "Why were you trying to find me?"

"Well, everyone else was in the room playing poker and other games. I didn't see you there so I thought I'd try and find you and get you to join us."

"I dunno, I've never played poker before. And I'm not really a gambler either."

"It's not too late to learn," Damien stated. "And I'm not a gambling man myself, yet I am willing to play a few games. Who knows, you might end up making some money."

I thought about what he said, the offer of playing poker. On one hand, I was never a fan of gambling and didn't really plan to do it anytime soon. After all, it was a thing that can become an addiction, and I didn't have a reputation of good luck. Then again, I was invited here for a reason. And Mark did mention poker as an activity for tonight, and it would be rude to not at least show up to the game room and see what was going on. I looked over at Damien and he lead me to where everyone else was. I figured I would just stop by, see what was going on and then just be on my way. I looked at my phone and saw no new messages or calls from my sisters. It was already past eight at this point.

We made it to the game room where everyone else was. As I entered, I could not only smell the alcohol in the air, but I could also taste it around me. Everyone in the room was under the influence of the intoxication as I looked out over the scene before me. One guy had a makeshift turban on his head and laughing like he was watching a comedy. Markiplier and a few others were sitting over a table, playing their poker, but not taking it seriously though. The Butler, chef and the man that was talking to Damien earlier were throwing what looked like eyeballs into a red solo cup, probably as part of a drinking game. There were even a few of the men that was even giving each other the bird, and not the animal variety. I was already second guessing myself about going in there, I really would be sticking out like a sore thumb. Damien placed a hand on my shoulder and I looked over at him.

"Not really your cup of tea?"

"I'm… this is my first time at a party like this. I'm not even old enough to drink, to be honest." I admitted while fiddling with my hands. "Maybe this really was a mistake coming here."

Damien tossed on a sad smile my way, as if to sympathize with my feelings. "It takes true courage to step out of your shell and join those that you admire to be. You've come this far, what is truly stopping you at this point?"

There was a lot of things stopping me, the law, my self-esteem, the fear of embarrassing myself to one of my idols. But, if I allowed the rules to stand in my way, I wouldn't be a normal adult. Lots of people bend the rules now and then, it was perfectly normal. And it's not like anyone would know I was gambling or drinking. And my sisters weren't here to stop me… even though I told them where I was heading. Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I stepped into the room ready to let lose a bit. It didn't seem they noticed me coming it, which was a good thing because it made me feel like they weren't really paying attention to every single thing I did. I don't know how or why, but my feet took me over to the poker table where everyone was playing a game. It was the Colonel that first noticed me and spoke to me.

"Ah, if it isn't the lady of the evening. Cosmo, was it?"

"Nice to see you again, Colonel." I waved slightly at the safari man. "I'm not interrupting your game, am I?"

"Nonsense, we just finished a round." Markiplier assured me as he grabbed all of the poker chips to his side. "Once again, I win. No hard feelings, right?" he asked towards the Butler and the one with the turban on his head. The two of them rolled their eyes and shook their heads. I slightly giggled, not really expecting Markiplier to be much of a gambler. But I suppose there were still quite a lot of things I didn't know about him.

"Perhaps your guest would like to take your winnings?" Colonel gestured towards me as he kept his eyes on Mark. His orbs held a glint of intent, though I didn't know what type.

Before Mark could answer, I waved my hand and tried to get out of it. "Uh… I don't play poker. Nor do I know how to play."

"It doesn't have to be poker, you two could play some other game." Colonel was really trying to get me to actually play against Markiplier. It's a bit embarrassing, but kind of exciting.

"Well, I don't know any games relating to gambling. I've only been to one casino before, but never paid any attention to those types." I rubbed my arm to try and hide my goofy expression. "Well, I guess I do know one game that I'm a bit familiar with."

"And that is?" Colonel asked.

"Black Jack, that's the only one."

"Black Jack?" Mark raised a brow in my direction. "Very simple, but at the same time a challenge! I accept."

"Oh, I dunno…"

The Colonel placed a hand on my shoulder and set me down in his chair. "Nonsense," he spoke. "You can't turn down a challenge from Markiplier. Besides, you might get lucky yourself."

I could feel the eyes glued on me, the two staring at me waiting for me to give them the okay. I really shouldn't have, but I didn't want to disappoint them. "O-okay… I'll play a round."

"Then let's start our new game!" Mark declared as he took a set of cards and stacked them on the table. He took the top card and flipped it to reveal a two. He took two more cards but placed them face down. He looked over at me as the dealer in the game, and I tapped my fingers on the table, to tell him I wanted a card. He gave me the top one and it was a five of clubs. I tapped my fingers again, this time the card was a queen of spades, bringing me to a total of 15. I debated right then and there if I wanted to get another card. The trick was, I couldn't go over the amount the dealer had. I knew Mark had two right now, but those two cards that are face down could determine if I was under or over the limit. I had to go with my gut and shook my hand over the table, to tell him I wanted no more cards. Mark smiled and flipped over the two cards he had. One of them was a king of diamonds and the other was five of hearts. I covered my mouth with my hands to hide my excitement, but failed. I beat Markiplier at a game! Maybe not a video game., but an actual game!

"My, look at the cajones on this girl here!" the Colonel cheered, clearly happy that I had beaten Mark at my first try.

"I'm sure it was just beginners luck."

The Colonel however, kept pushing me forward. "What do you say, Mark, best two out of three?"

Mark started placing the winnings he earned last game to the side, shuffling the cards again and looking at me, waiting for me to start a new game. I was hesitant to do so, thinking that I was over my head. But as I looked at everyone who were staring at me, seeming excited for me to be part of their game. To play with them, to be part of something. And in truth, I myself was excited to actually be in that spot feeling that energy they were giving off. "Maybe one more round wouldn't hurt." I smiled a challenge towards Mark and he smiled back.

?

I clung to the railing as I ascended up the stairs to take a look at the second level of the mansion. I had been in the party room for hours and I was able to slip away to get some peace and quiet. It was fun for a while, I started out just playing a few games of Blackjack with Mark, winning most of them. Eventually, the others started to play in as well, making it even more challenging and fun. We moved on to a few other games like poker, after Damien helped to teach me how to actually play, a few cup games, though I didn't do it for the drinks. I didn't even notice the time, but I knew I must have been in there for a while. After the last round of throwing eyeballs into the cups, I decided to head out of there and walk around a bit more. Clearing my head from the aroma of the alcohol and the addicting games. The upstairs seemed to be where all the rooms were for the guests and Mark himself. There was even a small living quarters that had a door that lead outside, cream and golden colors mixed together on the walls and splashed on the lavished furniture. There was even a fireplace and a small glass table. I sat down on the couch and leaned into the cushions, allowing the fabric to relax my aching muscles. My gaze fixated on the ceiling, I didn't know why, I just wanted to try and take my mind off of things.

I closed my eyes for a few minutes to contemplate about the situation I was in. I realized for the first time that night how out of place I was, on more than one account. I was the only female at the party, I was the only one that Mark did not seem to know personally or I didn't know him personally, and I also wasn't really a party type girl. Even though I had a good facade on, I didn't think this party was bringing out the best of me. After all, I must be half these guys age and yet I was playing gambling games with them. Why did I agree to come here? Just to prove a point to my sisters? Was it even worth it? Not like they seemed to care, they didn't even call back.

"Miss Leer," my eyes snapped opened and I perked up upon hearing that familiar voice. I looked to see Markiplier himself, walking towards me, his red satin robe swinging as he walked. "Are you alright? You left the room so suddenly."

I arranged myself on the cushion to sit up and smiled nervously at the YouTuber. "Oh, hello Markiplier… Sorry, I just wanted to take a break from those games."

"Why? You were doing so well."

I shrugged, looking down at the ground to avoid his gaze. "I guess I was just growing tired."

"I suppose I can understand that." He walked over until he was only a few feet from me. "May it be alright if I sit by you?"

I looked up at him, a small blush crossing my face. I nodded and watched as his body made the cushion sink into the couch. I tried my best not to let my face grow even redder than it already was, but I failed. We sat there in silence for a while, but it was Mark that broke it. "You know, I wasn't so sure if this was a good idea." I turned my head to look at Mark as he gazed up at the ceiling, talking to himself but he knew I was listening. "The party I mean. I haven't been active these past few months, and I wanted to try and get my motivation back up."

"You mean, you haven't uploaded any videos on your channel?" I clarified. He nodded but didn't look back at me.

"To be honest, the reason why I haven't been active… was because I've been going through a rough patch in my life."

"Is it that serious that you had to drop your career without telling anyone about it?" again, he nodded to my question. My heart sank a bit at his response. I knew all along that there was a reason for his absence on YouTube, and it must have been serious if he wasn't even able to tell his fans his reason. Perhaps it was some sort of personal matter with his family? Maybe his life? I wanted to ask, to see if I could somehow make him feel better. But if it really was part of his own life, it would be best not to step on that path when I didn't belong. "I… kind of get what you mean." I could feel his gaze shift over to me, so I went on as I looked over at the doorway leading to the outside. "I went through a tragedy in my life nearly two years ago. I… lost my parents. It happened right in front of me as well. I was so scared and so lost for a long time. I didn't know what to do, I couldn't even find the motivation to write or draw. I lost all passion and it felt like I would never be able to bounce back. But, it was only through the support of my family and friends that I was able to help ease the pain as the days went by. Soon the pain started to become so numb, I could hardly feel it. I do miss them even now, but we have to move on because I know that they wouldn't want me to waste my life weeping over them."

"Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it. I'm sorry about your parents." Mark said to me with empathy in his voice. He really was a caring soul, even to his fans. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as he went on. "I lost my dad when I was young, but I still have my mom."

"Not to mention Teamiplier," I added with a chuckle. "You aren't just known for your let's plays, but for your big heart as well…" I blushed at that comment and expanded on the topic to make it sound less awkward. "I-I mean, with your skits and charity streams… you're a true inspiration."

Mark just laughed, but it seemed he liked the compliment. But I wasn't done yet. "By the way, thanks."

He looked at me with a raised brow. "Huh?"

"I've always kind of brushed off the idea of going to parties. I know it's something people my age tend to do, but I've never really been comfortable in these sort of settings. Maybe it's because I'm more used to being in my room and just chatting with my friends on the computer. But you invited me to this event," I looked over at him as my smile shown on my face. "Even though I'm just a random fan, and I know anyone in my situation would say this, I feel honored that you invited me. I ended up having a good time and got to meet you and some nice people. What I'm trying to say is, I'm glad I hopped in that limo and came here."

"And I'm glad you showed up as well Miss Leer."

"You can call me Cosmo if you want."

"Cosmo?"

"Yeah, that's the name my friends call me. Since my Internet name is CosmoK13."

"Oh, okay. Well Cosmo, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. And I'm sure that after tonight, I'll have the motivation to get back onto YouTube. In fact, I'll do a let's play of a game tomorrow. Once everyone leaves of course."

"Hehe, yeah." I giggled. It was a strange feeling, being so close to Markiplier. Talking with him like he was a normal person. Well, he does have a life outside of YouTube and comedy after all. And it seems that he was suffering through some hard times. Even though he seemed fine now, I can only hope for the best for him and give him some moral support. He was able to help me when I was feeling down, so it's only fair I lift his spirits up. I'll check my phone often and see when he uploads a new video. I'll be the first one to comment on it and like it. As I thought about his uploads on the next day, a thought crossed my mind. "Oh geez, what time is it?" I grabbed my phone to check out how long I've been here. It was already ten minutes passed one in the morning. Where did the time go?! Even stranger, there was still no call or texts from my sisters.

"Is everything okay?" Mark asked me with concerned.

I looked back up at him and tried to assure him. "It's just… I didn't really plan to stay here that long. I had called and texted my sisters to come pick me up when they could, but they haven't responded back yet. I'm actually kind of worried."

"I'm sure they must be really busy." Mark tried to assure me. "Unfortunately, I don't think anyone here is capable of driving you back to your place. In fact, I prepared rooms for everyone in case of this occasion."

Once again, a faint blush crossed my cheeks. I would be sleeping in Markiplier's house? With Markiplier inside?! This really must be some sort of dream! If it was, I don't want to wake up! Actually, I want to stay awake for this occasion. I had a nervous smile on my face and tried to protest. "O-oh… that's really not necessary. I can try to call again, maybe they'll answer."

"Nonsense, I doubt you can get someone to drive you at this hour. And besides, you said yourself you're tired and you're already here." Marks stood up from the couch and reached out his hand towards me. "Come with me, I'll show you to your room."

I looked up at Mark and then down at the hand, it was so thick and strong looking. I felt that it would crush my own once I placed it. But he gripped my hand gently in his own and helped me stand up. He lead me a few doors down the hallway till we got to a room in which Mark opened. It seemed like a pretty simple room, but the decor made it stand out. The king sized bed was lavished with silky green sheets that matches the drapes covering the large window. Off to the side of the door was a bathroom with a large white tub and a marble counter with a large mirror edge in gold hung above. There was a bedside table next to the mattress with a fancy clock and a lamp. "Woah…" Once again, my breath was taken away just by the room alone. "You should be hosting parties more often."

Mark let out a chuckle as he walked in and stood behind me. "Glad you like it, I'm sure it's not the type of style you are used to but I hope you will be able to rest well here tonight."

I turned around and nodded at the YouTuber. He certainly was being a wonderful host, and to a random fan no less. "Thank you again for this. I should be heading off to bed."

"You sure you do not want to come down for some more games?"

I shook my head in response. "No, thank you but I really should retire for the night."

"I understand," Mark nodded and pointed over at the dresser in the corner of the room. "There are some nightwear for you in that dresser. I hope you have a good night's rest." He nodded towards me with a smile before leaving the room and closing the door on his way out. I fell onto the sheets of the bed and let out a huge sigh. I talked with Markiplier all alone! And he really seemed to have liked me! I didn't even make a fool of myself! A satisfied grin spread across my features, pleased that this night turned out to be a great one. I would definitely hold it in my memories. Because for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like an outsider. I didn't feel like that scared little girl who lost her parents. I felt… normal. I walked over to the oak dresser and looked through one of the draws. There was a cream colored nightgown that was a little large for me, but it would do for sleeping wear. I shed off the cobalt dress and the jewelry, placing it on top of the dresser and fit myself into the nightwear. I had a lot more room to breath and move around freely, which felt nice after so many hours of being in that tight dress. A yawn passed through me and out of my mouth. I looked over at the clock as it was already 1:30 in the morning.

"I better get some rest. I hope my sisters aren't too mad at me." I sarcastically remarked to myself. Jumping on the bed, I pulled the covers over myself, took off my glasses and laid on the soft foam. It was like sleeping on a cloud, so soft and welcoming. Sleep hit me like an incoming train. My eyelids become heavy and the slumber began.

?

I awoke to the blaring sound of the alarm on my bedside. I tried to ignore it at first, wanting to stay in my slumber as I rested on this cloud I called a bed. But one of my eyes betrayed me as I looked at the clock to see what time it was. I reached over and pressed the device, hoping to shut it off. I succeeded by pressing a random button on the silver platform. It was already 8:30 in the morning, meaning I slept for a total of seven hours. Which was strange, my body felt that I slept that long, but it seemed I just recently only fell asleep for seven minutes rather than hours. I wish I would have went back to bed, I didn't feel like getting up anyways. But when I looked around the crimson and black fused colored walls of the bedroom, I was reminded that I was in Markiplier's manor. It would be rude to sleep in a bed that wasn't my own. And by now, everyone else would most likely be up. Now that I think about it, I did wanted to leave the place as soon as I could. And my sisters were probably able to reach me at this point.

I threw the covers off of my being as a yawn escaped my lips. I hopped off the bed and landed onto the cool wooden floorboards. A chill ran up my spine, but it quickly passed as I went over to the dresser to get my clothes on. At least, my dress and jewelry from last night. Since it was the only other choice of clothing I had. Once I put on my evening gown, I headed for the bathroom to redo my hair in a messy bun again and placed the tiara on. After grabbing my glasses and washing them up a bit, then grabbing my small purse with my phone, I headed out of the room to try and find out who else was up as well as plan to head out of here soon. Upon leaving my quarters, the first one to greet me was the Butler as he had a silver tray with a glass full of a cloudy white liquid on the plater.

"Ah, good morning. Hope you've had a good night's rest." I nodded to him and smiled. He grabbed the cup on the plater and handed it to me. A silver spoon was placed in the cup. I sniffed the contents and made a startled face, looking up at the Butler I wanted an answer. "I've prepared for you a seltzer with cocaine. Best thing for the morning after, if you ask me." He winked at me before walking away. I raised a brow as I looked back at the cup. Did he really give me something containing an illegal drug? I wasn't even going to ask how he or anyone else in this place was able to obtain such a substance and thought it was a good idea to give it to me in this form. I didn't need it anyways, I didn't even drink last night and I didn't have a hangover. Luckily there was another vase full of flowers just a few feet in front of me. Doing the same action I took last night, I dumped the contents of the drink into the vase. I placed the glass on the table and smiled with satisfactory. Once again, outsmarting the help with the area around me. I wasn't sure why a place like this needed to have so many vases of flowers in the first place, but I wasn't complaining.

"Ah, there's our little gambilar!" I turned around at the familiar voice and saw Damien walking up to me through the hall. We were both standing at the top of the banister of the stairs.

"Oh, good morning Damien. I trust that you had a nice night yourself?"

"And you? I saw how you knocked them all dead last night with the game. For someone that has never gambled before, you seem to be a pro of BlackJack."

"Oh, I'm not a pro. It was just luck, really. I usually suck at that game." I admitted.

Damien crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at me with those smiling features. "How did you learn to play BlackJack if you've never gambled?"

I thought for a moment, trying to come up with the answer. I giggled as I looked at him and said honestly, "I actually picked it up from my school."

"You're kidding…" Damien raised a brow in amusement.

I shook my head. "Nope, it was during my last year. Every Friday for the last thirty minutes of the day, we would have a small study hall. There was this teacher that had a small room where we went to play. You had to make sure you didn't have any work to do though. I was a bit interested, so I tried my hand at it a few times. We used fake money, of course, but it was still fun. I kind of sucked at it though, only got lucky on certain days. I was never really known for my luck anyways."

Damien shrugged. "Well, we can't all be good at every aspect. I must say, the fact that they allowed such a game at your school baffles me."

"I went to a charter school for my high school years. Mostly because of the area we lived in, a regular high school wasn't an option."

"And you were okay with that?"

I shrugged at him this time as I replied, "I didn't mind. The classes were small, so it made projects, presentations and discussions easier. Sure, it was kind of lonely because there was barely anyone there I had much in common with. But I had my own friends, so it wasn't too bad. Besides, I prefer to be alone anyways."

"Well, seems we have more in common that I first thought."

I wasn't sure what he meant by that at the time, but when he said that, it made me feel reassured in a sense. Like I wasn't the only outcast here. Though I only just met him , it felt like there was a strong connection between us created through trust. Perhaps it was his first impression, but he was a very nice and formal man. "You know, I haven't been wild like this since my days back in university. Good to let the beast out every once in a while, eh?"

"I'm not really much of a party animal, so I wouldn't know. But there's no harm in being yourself. I must say, the party and the mansion alone seem to be something out of novels I've read. I never would have thought I'd find myself in such a place or situation such as this." I looked down from the railing, following the spiral the staircase formed. A thought crossed my mind though as it showed on my face. "Then again, I'm still not exactly sure why Mark invited only me to this event. Out of all his 20 million subscribers and many more fans out there, how and why was it he chose me? I mean, this is a huge honor and the night has been one of my best nights ever. But, to be invited to this event out of the blue like this... I can't help but question his motives." As I said it, I really meant it. I had last night to ask, but I didn't. Maybe it was because I was too busy enjoying the time I spend with my idol, trying to cheer him up. Maybe I just wanted to forget that I was special and that I was someone in the crowd rather than apart from it. Still, why me? That was the question that didn't get an answer until it stared me right in the face.

Damien moved closer to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at him, his smile still bright on his tan complexion. "Now is not the time to become conspiratorial. Life is ours to choose, as I always say. Clearly Mark choose you for a reason. For what that reason is, I can not say myself. But you are right, this is an honor on your part. But it is also an honor on his as well."

I smiled back at him. "You're right, maybe I really am just overthinking the situation."

"How about we head downstairs? I'm sure they must be serving breakfast by now."

Part of me wanted to say yes. I barely ate anything last night other than party snacks during the games of BlackJack. But I looked down at my purse, knowing that my time here would be coming to an end. "I think I should be heading out here soon. My sisters are probably worried about me and we have some stuff to do back home."

Damien seemed disappointed but he nodded nonetheless. "I understand. Well, I have some work to finish. I hope we catch up soon before you go." He walked away from me, heading to where he was going. I felt guilty as I watched him disappear around a corner. Part of me really wanted to go to breakfast with him, and even my stomach seemed to have agreed. But I did feel like I was overstaying my welcome. And my sisters are probably questioning how I've been doing and what I've been doing. I reached into my small purse and took out my phone. I slide it open and tried to call my sister. As I hit the call button, the strangest thing happened. My phone literally said 'No Service Available' on the screen. "You can't be serious right now." I sighed as I put my phone away. What kind of mansion like this doesn't have cell service? It couldn't have been that old. Not to mention Markiplier lives here! Being a YouTuber, he would need cell or internet! "Guess I'll just have to find another phone." I descended down the spiral staircase, making my way to the first floor. I figured that this place must have a working phone in one of these rooms. If not, someone else might have a phone. As I jumped the last step, I looked at the wall to notice a clay like painting of two men on horses hanging there. It was very beautiful but felt out of place.

I went to the living room with the grand piano and looked around. No signs of any phone, old or new. Also, I didn't see the Butler anywhere. Strange, I usually saw him mostly around here. But I supposed since there wasn't many up yet, he was just doing his own thing. But he seemed free enough to make me a drink with drugs in them. I rolled my eyes at that thought and went to the dining room. I figured I'd stay away from the kitchen, since the Chief made it pretty clear that he didn't want me in there. The room was just as bare as when I first saw it upon coming here. Damien said that breakfast would be served here, but there wasn't any food or silverware here. I checked over to the opening that lead from the dining room into the kitchen. Carefully, I peeked inside the room, and expected to see the Chief coming out to warn me to stay out of his domain. Instead, all I saw was some strange doll that looked identical to him standing on the counter. It was even more disturbing than his real life version. I highly doubt the guy had a phone in the kitchen. And even if there was, I was not going to chance it.

"There's got to be a phone around here somewhere. Or at least someone has to have one on them." I headed down the hallway, passing by a suit of armor that was guarding the staircase. A smile crossed my lips staring at the silver suit. ' **Oh yeah, if I ever got a mansion, I would totally decorate it with knight suits around the place. Reminds me of when I watched Fullmetal Alchemist. I always liked Alphonse, he was a sweet character. I prefer the Brotherhood version though because at least the both of the brothers got a happier ending.'** I thought to myself just looking at the suit before me, expecting it to come alive and ask me if I've seen his brother. I chuckled at the very idea.

My laughter was caught off when my ears picked up a strange noise. I turned around at what I thought I heard was a loud thud from something heavy dropping on the floor. "What the hell was that?" curious, I walked into the parlor where the noise came from. It was dark in the room, but the light from the windows around the area gave off a bit of help. My eyes landed on the floor where I saw a figure in a silky red robe lying face first. I screamed my head off, hearing it echo throughout the house. I backed up a few feet from Mark as thunder cracked through the sky outside that I could hear. I didn't know what to think. I first thought that he had too many drinks last night and was just knocked out from the alcohol. But then why were his eyes wide opened, and what was with the position he was in? It wasn't natural!

"Hey, did anyone hear that lightning?" I turned around as a figure came through the opening to go into the parlor. It was the man Daimen was talking to last night before I talked to him for the first time. He still wore his hat, but he was wearing a white robe. Upon entering, his eyes immediately fell upon the body on the floor. "OH MY GOD! THERE'S BEEN A MURDER!" Upon his sentence, another round of thunder roared through the sky.

This time, the Butler came in. "Excuse me, did you hear light - OH MY GOD MURDER!" Again, the thunder came across the sky as the Butler walked over to the body.

"Did you - MUUUURDER!" the Chief cried as he pointed to the dead body while a fourth strike of thunder roared out. I could only watch the scene before me unfold. The body lying on the floor, the reaction of everyone entering the room, and the storm that was brewing outside this very mansion. I snapped out of the trance when I felt someone tugging on my arm. I looked up to see the brown eyes of the man that first entered the room. He had an enraged look upon his face as his grip on me tightened.

"What the hell happened here? Who's in charge around here? Trick question: that guy." He pointed back to Markiplier, dead on the ground. I used my free hand to cover up my mouth, trying not to gag at the situation before me. "You better listen up good, bucko," the man warned me as he finally let his hold on me go. "'Case you haven't been paying attention, there's been a bit of a… killin'."

"I… I can see that myself." My voice cracked as I couldn't take my eyes off of the body. This had to be a dream. It has to be! Markiplier couldn't be dead. I saw him last night, he was fine and happy. "Oh my god…" I could hardly speak full sentences. I couldn't even process this.

"You better start getting to explaining right quick as to the what, where, when and why you happen to be here upon this man's death!"

I looked over at the man, tears welling up in my eyes. "Y-you think I did this?!" I gestured towards the body on the floor, the one the Butler was examining over. "I literally just got here! How could I have committed a crime when I wasn't anywhere near it?!"

"And what makes you think I'm going to believe you?!" I could tell that he was challenging me. Clearly he was just as concerned about this matter as I was. How could I prove to them that I had nothing to do with this?

"Sir," the two of us turned to see the Butler, still standing over Mark. "The body is cold. He's been dead a while."

I heard the man chuckle as he looked over at the Butler. "A likely story! That I happen to believe completely." He turned to face me, seeing the waterworks trailing down my cheeks. I was relieved but didn't show it, to know that he was letting me go. "Fine, you're off the hook, for now! But you're still a suspect and I'm a Detective, and - "

"Oh, yeah? Prove you're a real dick!" The Chief demanded of the man as he poked him in the chest.

The Detective rolled his eyes as he pulled out a leather wallet from his pocket. "Here's my badge. Asshole." He turned around to show me his badge, and a long pile of photos that was connected to the wallet fell out, reaching to his kneecaps. He gathered the pictures as he put the wallet away. "Those are my old partners. Don't ask me about them."

"I don't care!" I shouted at him. "I just want you to tell me what happened!" All three men looked at me, as if I were crazy. I probably wasn't helping my case in proving I was innocent in all of this. I sighed and rubbed my temple with my fingers. "I'm sorry… look, I just want to know what happened. Are we even sure that Mark died?"

"Well, he has no pulse when I checked." The Butler stated.

"Alcohol poisoning?" I suggested to any of the three. "For all we know, this could have been an accident and not a murder."

"Maybe, maybe not. But the only way we can figure that out is if we investigate."

"We?" I raised a brow at the Detective who had a serious expression on his face.

"You look like you're up for the task. How about it, will you be my new partner?"

"Didn't you just accused me of murdering Markiplier not even a minute ago?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"You were the first one here when the body was found. Wouldn't it be natural to assume you had something to do with it?" I wanted to say something to him, but as he said it he did have a point. I probably would have done something like that if the roles were reverse. "Besides, if you help me solve this case, it would prove you didn't have a part to play in this. Unless you are hiding something?" He did have a point, as much as I didn't like the guy. Helping him with this case, if there really was one, would help prove my innocence. And it's not like anything bad would come of it if I were to help him.

"Alright, I'm your new partner." I shrugged.

The Detective laughed as he looked away from me for a moment. "That's what all my old partners used to say. Right before they died." He said that last bit like he just came to a sudden realization. I looked over at the Chief, and he was just as disturbed by that as well. Just what did I get myself into? Needless to say, I got myself into this mess and there was no way of getting out.

"What should we do, Detective?" I asked.

"First, let's seal off the crime scene and gather my tools. Partner, I want you to go to my room and get my supplies. And make it snappy, the sooner we get this place closed off the sooner we can investigate."

I nodded, accepting his request without any questions. I headed up the stairs to see if I could find his room. I figured the easier it was for me to go along with his demands, the better off I would be. I tried to remain strong, I had hoped that Markiplier really had passed out from the alcohol. But part of me thought that there was more to this that I didn't want to believe. All I could have done at the time was help out in any way I could. Once I had reached the top floor, I looked around to try and figure out which room belonged to the Detective. I knew where my room was, so all I could do was look around and hope I could find the room. When I turned around a corner to head off to another hallway, I nearly bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry!" I said to the figure

"It's quite alright." I could tell from the voice that it was the Doctor. I looked up to see that he was in his scrubs and white coat with his head mirror on. Did he just get up or has he been awake for a while? I couldn't tell. "You seem to be in a rush, do you need to be somewhere?"

"Uh… yeah. You wouldn't happen to know where the Detectives room is, do you?"

"It's right next to my room, right over there." He pointed to the said room that I needed to be. At least I knew where to go now. I thanked him and headed to the room. Hopefully finding the said items would also be easy. When I entered the bedroom, it seemed similar to my room in setup. A large window covered in drapes, a large bed, a dresser, a bathroom and a nightstand. The color scheme was different though and there was a large desk against one of the walls farthest from the bed. I walked over to the oak table to see if his supplies were there. As I searched the drawers, I heard the Doctor, who had followed me into the room, ask, "what are you looking for?"

"The Detective is downstairs working on a case. He needs me to bring him his supplies." I answered.

"A case? Of what?"

I stopped in my search for a moment, debating to myself whether I should tell him. He was most likely going to find out anyways once he goes downstairs. I turned to face him with a grim expression. "Markiplier was murdered." When I said it, the thunder that roared outside covered up the crack in my voice. I couldn't believe I just said that. Mostly because part of me didn't want it to be true.

"Murdered?!" Dr. Iplier gasped, he took a step back and seemed to be displeased.

"We're not sure if it's really the case. Maybe he just took a few too many shots last night. But the Detective thinks otherwise and so does everyone else."

"Where's the body? I could take a look and determine for myself. I am a Doctor."

"It's in the parlor. Everyone else is gathered around it, so you can't miss it." He then took off, leaving me to finish my work. I didn't feel like it was a good idea to tell him who had been killed. Just thinking about it made knots in my stomach. There was only one way for sure I would be able to tell if Mark really had been killed. Opening the last draw, I found a large suitcase and opened it. Revealing all sorts of equipment for a crime scene. Closing it up again, I grabbed the handle and headed back downstairs. In the time I was gone, no one had moved from the said spot where the body was. I couldn't blame them. As much as I wanted to look away, it was like I had to always come back just to make sure what was before me was true.

"There you are, partner!" I jumped and turned my head to see the Detective, now fully clothed, approaching me. I wasn't sure when or how he changed so fast, but that was the least of my concerns at the time. "Were you able to find everything?" I looked down at the suitcase I held, containing his belongings. I looked back up at him and nodded, handing it to him. He took it and set it down on the couch, opening the lid and began to take out the supplies. "I never go anywhere without this kit. Just in case something like this happens."

"Something like this?" I questions as I watched him take out some police tape.

"As a Detective, my job is to solve cases. And in the event that there is one near me, I'm at least prepared. I can't go anywhere without my supplies. Better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not have them."

"I suppose that would make sense. What else can I do?"

The Detective turned to me, expression serious. "Start by sealing off the area with the tape. We can't contaminate the crime scene. Especially when there could be evidence we could use." His explanation made sense, and we got straight to work. It only took the two of us, along with the help of the Butler and even the Chief, to seal off the area with the tape. The Detective taped the outline of the body with white tape and even put a cloth over Mark's body. I was glad of the blanket, because at least I wouldn't be able to see the look of death on the YouTubers face. But I still had the knowledge that he was under there.

"Excuse me, Doctor coming through." My attention now focused as Dr. Iplier moved through the small crowd towards the body. The Detective got up from where he was and held out his hand at arm's length, preventing the Doctor from going any further.

"Just what the heck do you think you're doing, wise guy?"

"I heard that there was a murder! I'm here to investigate."

"What gives you the right to look at the body?" the Detective questioned.

"I am a trained and licensed Doctor, I can most likely diagnosed how the victim died."

"I don't need your PH bullshit right now! This is serious matters!"

The Doctor would not give up though. "Why do you think I brought my supplies?!" the Doctor held up his own kit for everyone else to see. His eyes were transfixed on the Detectives', determined to win this case. "I am more trained in the fields of autonomy than you ever could be."

"This is my case, bucko! I don't need anyone else to get involved if they don't have the experience!"

The bickering between the Doctor and the Detective was getting us nowhere in solving this situation. Clearly Dr. Iplier, a close friend of Markiplier and licences, would be an ideal person to inspect the body. And in truth, I trusted the Doctor more than I trust the Detective for some odd reason. I walked up and stood in between the two, getting serious now. "Enough, both of you! Look, Dr. Iplier is more than experienced enough to at least determine how Mark died. We should let him investigate the body and we can investigate the scene around here for clues. We could use all the help we can get."

I looked to see the Detectives' expression, he didn't seem to like the idea. But I could also sense that he knew I made a point. The Doctor was waiting for the Detective to give him permission to do the autopsy as I did. With a defeated sigh, the Detetive stepped aside and allowed the Doctor to move under the tape. Het set his bag down and opened the leather. Then he pulled back the blanket so he could get a good look at the body. He didn't even gag or reacted when he saw the face of his friend. I suppose it was something he was used to, seeing dead people before. But at the same it, it was also disturbing because this man had been his friend, and yet there wasn't even a flinch on the Doctors' face. I watched as the Doctor went on to investigate the body. I didn't feel like I could go anywhere near the scene, for fear I would end up disposing the remaining contents in my stomach. I still couldn't accept the fact that… I shuddered, unable to even finish that thought.

My ears picked up at set of footsteps. I turned my head and a bit of my body to see Damien coming through the opening into the room. His face expressed shock and confusion, I couldn't blame him. "What the hell happened here?" He looked around, eyeing everyone for an answer. He turned towards me for a moment, as if he wanted me to tell him. I felt like a deer caught in headlights, I wasn't sure how to react or respond. How could you tell someone that their best friend had been killed?

"Damien…" My voice was barely audible, I could hardly hear it myself.

Luckily, the Butler spoke up for me. "Oh! Mr. Mayor. I'm so sorry. There's been a murder." Another roar of thunder sounded throughout the house.

"A murder?" Damien, the Mayor, questioned as another thunderclap was heard. He looked down at the body, Dr. Iplier still inspecting it. Turning to the Chief now, he asked who. The Chief looked around for a moment. I knew he wouldn't sugarcoat the story, he obviously wasn't that kind of person. He shrugged his shoulders as he gave his nonchalant answer.

"It's Mark."

"I'm afraid he's telling the truth." The Detective came up towards Damien, his voice and expression straight and serious. "Mark is… dead."

"Why? Who would do this?" Damien asked as he pointed towards the body.

"That's exactly what me and my new partner here are here to find out." The Detective gestured towards me, making all the eyes fall upon me. I blushed, tucking an imaginary strand of hair behind my head. I tried to sound confident as I attempted to speak my opinion.

"W-we don't really know if he was killed. F-For all we… I know… he probably had one too many drinks."

"What does drinking have to do with dying? Are you saying someone slipped something into his alcohol and he was poisoned?" the Detective glared at me, wanting more of an explanation. I knew he was just trying to see if I was in fact involved in the murder of Markiplier. I blushed deeper as I tried to explain.

"W-well… M-Mark stated himself, d-during a playthrough of 'The Forest' with Jacksepticeye, that Koreans c-can't process alcohol in their systems. A-and since Mark is of Korean descent, i-it would only make sense that that w-would be a possibly cause of death. I-I don't know how it works or how much it would take to actually a-affect him. But we shouldn't rule out any possibilities, right?"

Everyone stared at me, as if they were skeptical of my response. I only felt even more embarrassed. It wasn't my fault I knew this information. I was a fan of Mark, saw his video and he talked about it. This looked bad for me because the Detective could use this against me. Saying that since I knew this information, I was most likely to have used it to kill Mark. To my relief, Dr. Iplier spoke up. "She's not wrong, Mark could have suffered from alcohol poisoning as a cause of death. Especially with all the varieties of drinks here. However, it seems that that type of death would be the least of his concerns."

"Why do you say that, Doctor?" Damien questioned as we all gathered closer around the Doctor and the body. The medic sighed as he looked back down to the body. Unveiling the blanket from the being and turning over so Mark was lying on his back. My hands flew to my mouth at the bloody mess I saw before me. Upon Mark's chest, tears were present in the robe that he wore. They weren't that big but they were noticeable. I could see caked blood coating the skin that showed through the tears. The taste of blood, through dried, still lingered on my lips even now as I think about it. "Dear God!" Damien gasped as he took a step back. His features showed further horror and he tried not to gag in disgust.

"So it was murder!" the Detective decreed.

"Unless he intentionally stabbed himself, yes." Dr. Iplier agreed, running gloved hands over the tears of the robe. "Even if he might have had alcohol poisoning, at best it would have numb the pain. He most likely died from blood loss before the drinks could get to his systems."

"Then our work seems to have only just begun. Don't worry, I'll figure out what's going on even if I have to check every nook and cranny of this place."

"N-no offensive or anything, Mr. Detective, but don't you think we should get some more help for this matter?" I suggested to my boss.

"Yes, I feel like we should call the authorities for them to handle this matter." The Butler agreed as he himself was becoming more concerned about this mess.

The Detective rolled his eyes at both of us and in a strong and edgy voice, took out his wallet again and showed us his badge as well as his photos. "Look, buddy, as far as you're concerned, I AM the authorities. The fact of the matter is, I believe the killer is right here amongst us in this very house. With that freaky lighting storm outside, none of us would get very far anyway. So, in the meantime, we're stuck here."

' **I was afraid you were going to say that.'** I mentally sighed. So much for heading back home with my sisters. But he was right, there was something strange going on in this very house. And as much as I wanted to leave, I knew that there would be something or someone preventing me. The Detective wouldn't let me go because most likely he still considered me a suspect. Even if I was helping out with this case. And though I wasn't too sure about the lightning and thunder outside, I didn't want to risk crossing into Mother Nature's fury. Then there was a part of me, the courageous, or stupid, part that wanted to know what happened. Who would kill Markiplier, one of YouTube's greatest sensations and why? Surely if I could prove who really did it and prove my innocence, the Detective would let me go. Also, I could get back at the man who killed Mark by giving him a pain worse than death! Woah, where did that part come from?

"The rest of you," the Detective went on, eyeing everyone else in the room, "get back to your rooms, hunker down, and pray to God you're not next to be murdered." Another thunderclap crossed the sky and was heard inside the house. I looked around the room, wondering what everyone else would do now that they understood the situation they were in.

"I'll… I'll check on our other guests." The Butler hesitantly stated as he began to walk off.

"I'll get back to cooking. All this death made me hungry." The Chief, voice empty of any sympathy or shock, headed out as well. I didn't trust the man one bit. I could tell from our first encounter how hostile he was, and chances are he probably knew something I didn't. Even though it would be too obvious for him to be the culprit, I couldn't rule out anyone. I looked over at Damien. His eyes kept glancing from the body over to me as he backed away a few steps. Holding his cane in his hands.

"I… I-I need to talk to the Colonel about this." I wanted to say something to him, but he left before I could even muster up an "I'm sorry." He clearly must be devastated to learn that his friend had been killed in such a way. I didn't blame him. I only wish I could help him ease his pain. I was never really good comforting those in these types of situations, until it happened to me.

"All right, Partner. It's time to get to work." The Detective called me, making me looked over at him as he was kneeling by the body with the Doctor. Hestinatly, I nodded and ducked under the tape to get closer to the corpse. The Detective looked over to Dr. Iplier as the medic was still examining the body. "What's the diagnosis, Doc?"

"Well, if I had to stake my medical license on it, I would say that Mark most likely died from the stab marks." As he stated this, he shook off the robe that Mark wore. His chest naked and visible to our eyes, getting us a better image of his death marks. "The cuts aren't too deep, but since there are multiple over the torso and chest, it would be enough for him to bleed out."

"Can you tell how many times he was stabbed?" I asked.

The Doctor glanced over the body again, examining every single cut as if counting mentally. "I would have to say 37 times he was stabbed."

"That's a lot of times for one body." I shuddered just thinking about it.

"Clearly whoever did this, wanted to make sure Mark was able to die from these wounds." The Detective noted mostly to himself than to me.

"What about the murder weapon? Do you think you could tell what made these wounds?" I asked the Doctor.

"Well, that is a little bit harder to tell. It definitely wasn't a knife, I can tell you that. These cuts are too rigid and not at all straight enough to have come from a blade. But, I do notice some strange patterns."

"Patterns?" both the Detective and I asked in unison.

The Doctor continued with his explanation. "Yes, noticed that the wounds seem to conjoin with each other in a circular motion." He traced the pattern on the stomach with his hand. "The marks seem to follow a certain form, they don't stray too far away from each other. Meaning that whatever weapon was used to kill the victim, had to have been one that had multiple sharp points on its end. Specifically one in a circular shape."

"So, we're looking for a weapon in the shape of a circle with sharp edges. That could pretty much be about anything." I noted.

"It's a start," the Detective said. "What about the time of death? Could you estimate that?"

"Well, the scars and the dried blood could help determine that. But just to be sure…" Dr. Iplier flipped Mark back onto his stomach and lifted up the robe from the bottom hem.

"Uh… what are you doing?" I stepped back, feeling slightly… very, uncomfortable as the Doctor was now lowering Markiplier's boxers, now making his ass hang out into the air.

"I'm going to measure the temperature of the body." Dr. Iplier answered without stopping his work.

"From the butt?"

"That's the most accurate way to determine the tempturate."

"It's true, I've done it before." The Detective agreed. Now I was nearing the edge of the enclosed crime scene, looking away as the two men began the… test on the corpse. Good thing Mark was dead so he didn't have to feel that. And I was even glader to be a woman, because I would never have to go through that in my life! I looked around the parlor, that doubled as the game room. I looked over to the table where the cards and chips from last nights game stood stacked, as if they were never touched. It was so strange how in less than twelve hours, this room went from a party/game room where many were gambling their pockets out and having a good time, to a crime scene involving that of a murder. Had I known things would have turned out like this, I never would have agreed to come here. Little did I know however, that was only the start of my troubles.

"Alright," Dr. Iplier stood up from his spot. I didn't move my head from the position, but I eyed the Doctor as he stood up. "Based on the temperature of the body, as well as the dryness of the blood, I'm at least 89% sure that Mark died at around 1:30 AM last night."

I turned my head toward the Doctor and the Detective, surprise written on my face. That was about 15-20 minutes before I went to bed. And 15-20 minutes earlier when I saw Mark last. I suppressed a sudder, realizing that the murder must have taken place shortly after I left Mark for bed. The very thought made my stomach do summersaults. What if I had still been with Mark when he was murdered?! Would I have found myself breathing my last breath as the murderer stabbed me with the weapon? Or worse, would they have tried to frame me for it?! The Detective must have noticed my facial features, for he stood up and pointed straight at me. "So, what were YOU doing at 1:30 AM last night?"

I raised my hand over my breast in a protective manner. I had to tell them if I were to clear my name. Even if they may not believe me, I'd at least be telling the truth. The last thing I needed was a lie to make me seem even more guilty. Swallowing some bravery, I spoke up. "I-I was taking a break from the partying. I was sitting upstairs in a small living area and Mark came along. We talked about how he was planning on trying to restart his online career and about how he felt down these past months. I realized that it was ten past one, so he showed me to my room and left. I got into my nightwear and went to bed at 1:30. I didn't see or speak with Mark after that."

The Detective seemed unconvinced for a moment, I couldn't blame him. After all, me being with Mark right before the time he was killed seemed like an ideal opportunity to accuse me. But once again, Dr. Iplier saved me. "I saw Mark escort her himself to her room and leave. I too retired for the night at around that time. Mostly because I had planned to leave a bit early to head to my office."

The Detective looked over at the Doctor as I smiled at him. Thank goodness someone was on my side. The Detective looked at me again, his harden features showed how serious he was. "Alright, your story checks out. So, we need to figure out where everyone was and what they were doing around that time or, at the very least, who saw Mark last."

"Not to mention, we should also try and find the murder weapon. It can probably tell us who could have used it so it can narrow down our suspects." I added, making sure not to forget an important detail.

The Detective nodded, his gaze so transfixed on me I was beginning to wonder if he was staring into my soul. "You need to get out there. See if you can piece together the story of what happened last night." I nodded in response. All I had to do was ask the people around the manor and see what everyone was up to last night. It wasn't going to be easy, considering that the actual murderer won't give out such details easily. But we both knew that they wouldn't suspect a young lady asking such questions. At least, that's what I thought the Detective assumed. "I'll stick around here, see if I can locate the murder weapon. Doc, you stay with the body."

"Don't have to tell me twice." The Doctor didn't even look up to the Detective as he kept investigating the body. Seeing as how both men were busy, I made my leave of the game room to try and find anyone else that might have been involved in last night's… tragedy. I ducked under the tape and made my way to the other side of the room, heading off to another corridor where there was another room that was blocked by an oak door. But the door was ajar, so I went there to see if anyone was inside.

"How can you be so flippant?" I froze when I heard a loud voice call out close by. I looked back but the Detective nor the Doctor seemed to have made any conversation with each other nor me.

"Flippant? I'm taking this matter very seriously." Another voice called out. I turned back to the room that was opened and made my way closer to it. I looked inside and saw Damien, literally yelling at someone.

"Oh, don't give me that horseshit! I know you hated him, but...goddammit, he reached out to you!" I couldn't help but listen in on the conversation. Was Damien referring to Mark? I didn't know at the time, but it would make sense.

"Oh, what do you want from me?" The voice, that I was able to distinguish as the Colonel's, questioned in a very serious yet sympathetic tone.

"Wh - I want you to care!" I jumped at the sudden spike in passion in Damien's voice. He really was shaken up about this ordeal. But it seemed like there was more than that. Why was he so intended to talk to the Colonel about all of this? More importantly, why would he go to the Colonel first? From what I've seen or at least been told, everyone else here seems to know each other fairly well. So, unless there was a specific reason, Damien should have gone for someone else to tell this tragedy to. Come to think of it, when I looked at him before he left to go speak with the Colonel, he seemed pale. And I don't think it was just about breaking the news to his friend alone. A sudden thought popped into my head as the conversation went on. Could it be possible that Damien thought the Colonel could have killed Mark?!

"Just because I'm not weeping like a child doesn't me that I don't care." That line from the Colonel made him sound even more suspicious. And also strengthened my theory about him being a potential suspect.

"I can't believe you." Damien seemed heartbroken as he was staring at the Colonel, though I could not see the other man from this angle. The heavy silences seemed to only pull tighter on my heartstrings. Damien must be feeling alone in this situation. His very friend gets murdered, and no one else seems to truly care other than him. Worse yet, he believes that his friend could be the killer. I knew it was just speculation at the time, but when I see something I can interpret it to certain degrees. "You come find me when you pull your head out of your ass!" His words stung like poison against the Colonel. Clearly he didn't want to face the circumstances as they were staring him right in his face. He walked right towards me, exiting the room through the door. "Excuse me." He briskly passed by me. I watched him leave in a hurry, again feeling empathy for the guy. I wanted to go after him, to try and calm him down by talking to him about this matter. But I had to go into the room to talk with the other man. I had questiones and I needed answers.

Walking in, I noticed that the very room was actually some theater. A wide screen and stage against one wall and twelve black, leather chairs lined up in rows of three. In the far corner, I could see the Colonel sitting in one of said chairs. He seemed to be thinking to himself, as his chin was resting on his fist. I walked over to him, and he must have heard me coming. "Damien, I don't -" he looked up at me, expecting to see the man that he was just talking to. "Oh!"

"Sorry, if you were expecting someone else." I half-mocked as I looked at him. The Colonel sat up from his chair, eagerness in his voice.

"Ah! Good to see you again, Miss Cosmo! You were quite the rapscallion at last night's festivities."

"T-thank you, Colonel." I looked away for a moment, flattered by his words nonetheless. But it was only for a moment, I was able to get myself back together and press onto the matter. "Look, I'm sure Damien already told you what happened."

"Ah yes, I'm sure you've heard our conversation?" I blinked, did he know I was eavesdropping? "Well, Damien and I do have loud voices. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole manor heard us." Oh, I thought. He was right, their argument did lead me here.

"Aren't you upset? I mean, you knew Mark. You two were friends. I would have expected you to be… somewhat shocked at least."

The Colonel scoffed and looked away."You sound just like Damien. The relationship between Mark and I was… unstable shall we say. Personally, I couldn't care less of what happened to him anymore."

I crossed my arms across my chest, glaring at the man. "I'd be careful about what I say if I were you." My voice sounded raspy and full of venom. "I'm assisting the Detective on this matter as we speak. Everyone here is considered a suspect. And if I see or hear you do or say anything that can cause any suspicion, you might be looking at a one way ticket to jail on account of first degree murder."

The Colonel glared back at me, his lips curled into a smirk that raised his hairs under his nose. "My, such bold words for such a lovely and gentle lady."

"Well last night, I was someone else." I warned him. "So unless you want to prove Damien right about what you have done and go to jail, you better tell me what happened during the time of the murder!" A roar of thunder passed through upon that word. Note to self, do not say murder anymore. Clearly that word causes taboo around here. I hoped that my threat to the Colonel was enough to get him talking. We glared down at each other for what seemed like several hours, the tension rising inside of me.

With a shrug and hand gestures, I felt I was getting somewhere. "Very well, I'll help you, I'll tell you what happened to our dear friend Mark." For a moment, a smile crossed my lips. I thought I was finally making progress in this investigation. Sure, maybe the Colonel wasn't the most stable man at the moment to be getting the details, but you have to start somewhere. The Colonel told me that Mark was sitting at the table with the Detective and the Butler during the time of the murder. Unfortunately, his Markiplier impression and view point was anything but reliable.

"Oh, look at me! My name is Markiplier now! Forget all my friends or the people that helped me along the way; just look at my money. Oh, I need to pay people to be my friends! Ha ha ha! You like me? Too bad! Oh, glug glug! Oopsie poopsie! I can't hold my booze. Gotta go off to the little boys' room. Who wants to join me? I'm gonna go there upon my stairs! MY house has more than ONE staircase. Oh, look at me and how great I AM! Oh no, I'm falling! Aaah, I'm dead." The Colonel retold his point of view as he made hand gestures throughout the improve act. I was both unconvinced and very disturbed by his narration. Either that was the worst aliba I've heard or he was too intoxicated that his mind played hallucinations on him. For his innocents sake, he better hope it was the latter. "And that's what happened. Probably, anyway."

My eyebrows were arched, knowing full well there was more to the story but clearly he wasn't taking this matter seriously enough to give me everything. Clearly the Colonel was a lost cause if I was going to get any information about Marks' death. "Thanks… for the uh… story. However, I still want to talk with everyone else just to make sure that it checks out."

"Very well," said the Colonel in a neutral tone. "If you need to corroborate this story with anybody else, just be on your way and investigate the entire house." He started making hand gestures towards the exit of the room. "Go now. I'll be here when you're done."

For his sake, and for mine as well, he better stay there. I turned on my heels and made my way towards the door, covered by red satin curtains. I was able to talk to the Colonel, so I better see if I could go find someone else. My next step was to go talk to Damien. Mostly to make sure if he had calmed down since his argument with the Colonel. I wasn't sure where he went to, but he couldn't have gone too far. As I neared the door, I almost bumped into the Butler of the manor. I looked up at him as the features on his face were stretched out in both worry, but also in another emotion he had that I could not describe.

"Miss Leer, I was hoping to find you."

"Does the Detective need me for something?" I asked.

"No, I need you to come with me. There's something I must show you."

My eyes widened and I titled my head. "Does this have to do with the investigation?"

"It might, though I'm not sure what to make of it."

My senses told me not to go with him. At least, not to be foolish enough to go alone. I've seen and read enough murder mysteries to know that if one of the suspects in the house tells you to go with them somewhere without a third party present, it would most likely mean your death. Not to mention, in these types of situations the Butler was usually the first suspect, especially when he becomes the murderer. Then again, this Butler did seem trustworthy. He seemed kind enough, and unlike the Chief and the Colonel, he was somewhat disoriented by the fact that his boss had died. He didn't seem like the type of character to be labeled as a murderer, especially with how he treated me and the guests. Perhaps it was some bias, but if there was some sort of clue that could help solve this mystery then I had to take a look for myself. Slowly, I nodded towards him as we went off from the theater room and walked down the halls of the decorative manner.

As we were walking, I tried to make a conversation about the matter. To see his reaction and profile him. "Uh… how are you holding up? I mean, I know it can't be easy having to wake up one morning and find out that your boss was… killed."

"It is not the best feeling in the world," the Butler told me as we kept walking at a brisk pace. "And it doesn't do anyone well knowing that the murdered -" there was that clap of thunder again, "could very well be hiding amongst us."

"Tell me about it." I agreed.

The Butler looked back at me, a sadden expression on his face. "I'm so sorry you had to get caught up in all of this. For what it's worth, I believe in your innocens. You are a mere guest after all, and now you have been thrown into this tragedy with no say in the matter."

"It's not exactly the type of party I planned to be in. And it doesn't help to know that I'm a suspect in the death of one of my idols. But I won't just sit idly by and let the killer roam free. I want to help solve this case in anyway I can."

The Butler's mouth straightened into a thin line as we were nearing our destination. "If you're looking for answers, there's really no mystery at all. There's not a single detail of this house that I'm not privy to, and not a single guest that I have not personally vetted."

"Are you saying you know who the killer could be?" I gasped.

He turned back to me, raising his gloved finger at me as if to tell me something different. "I'm saying that I know who would stand to gain the most in the death of my Master. As for who killed him, that is information I lack. Still, when it comes to the house it is my job to make sure that everything is in its prime as if Master had moved in only yesterday. I was doing some checking up on the guest and looking around the manor, going through my morning cleaning as I usually do. When I stumbled upon something out of place not long after we discovered the murder." There was that roar of thunder once again. We had arrived at another parlor, more for a living space. The Butler had taken me to a small area off the room where a stairwell leading to a small underground basement lead. It was blocked by a swinging door, which the Butler opened. He looked at me, as his hands were on the wooden beams of the frame. Clearly he was waiting for me to go down there first. Once again, I had a feeling that I was being lead into a trap. But at this point, what other choice did I have if I was going to find out who killed Markiplier?

Holding the cloth of my dress on my breast, I descended down the steps, making sure to keep an eye on the Butler as he followed behind me. Just in case he tried something funny when I least expected it. Once we reached the bottom, I gazed into the small cellar before me. A chandelier hang above the ceiling of the cream colored walls. There were paintings of landscapes and candle holders taking up spaces on the wall. On one side of the room, straight up against said wall were two chairs and a table in solid oak. I stared ahead and noticed the whole wall was just a rack to hold bottles. But not just any bottles, liquor! Now I understood, this must be where Mark kept his stash of alcohol. Or at least, where the previous tenants did. I noticed that there were only fourteen bottles of liquor that took the residents on the shelves. All the other holders were bare. Why would he bring me down here? I looked over at him as he made his way towards me, eyeing the floor with an unpleasant expression. I looked down at the brick structured floor and realized what he was so displeased about. Lying on the ground next to the wooden counter that stood between me and the shelves was a broken bottle. Some of the pieces were scattered around the small area, but it was mostly broken into two. I knelt down to look at it closer.

"I saw it this morning," the Butler told me as he knelt beside me. "I wasn't sure what to make of it. So I wanted to show the Detective, but he was busy talking with the Doctor. Since you were helping him on this case, I figured you would be able to see this and tell him."

"I'm not entirely sure how this could connect to the crime, but it's something. Do you have an extra set of gloves?"

The Butler looked at me with a raised brow. He dug into the back of his pocket and took out two white gloves, handing them to me. I took them and placed them on my hands. "Why do you want those?"

"Best to not contaminate evidence when working on a crime scene." I said looking at him.

"My, for your first crime scene, you certinal know a lot." The Butler sounded impressed.

I shrugged as I looked back at the broken bottle. "Well, I watch a lot of crime shows and read mystery novels. Also, I took Forensics as an elective during my senior year of high school for a semester."

"Really? So you have experience?"

"Well, not in every aspect. I know a few things like how to identify patterns on fingerprints and hair samples, different types of poisons and how to tell if a person has taken them, and we did some firearms and bullet identification. Not exactly things that can help me in this case, but better to have some experience than go in not knowing what I'm doing." I picked up half of the bottle, looking over the glass, being careful not to cut myself. The smell of alcohol was long gone from it, probably was already tapped out before it was smashed to the ground. Otherwise there would have been a stain here or at least the smell would have lingered still. Now that I looked at it, the jagged teeth at the end of the top part were kind of sharp. With enough pressure, as I tested it myself, it really could have done some damage to the skin. In fact, though it was hard to make out with the green glass, there were some stains at the ends of the sharp cuts on the bottle. "Do you know what type of liquor this bottle contained?"

The Butler looked at the shards I was holding, trying to determine what type of bottle it was. He shook his head. "If it were pieced together, it would be easier for me to tell. But all the bottles are the same in both shape, color and size."

I was a bit disappointed with the answer, but as I looked back at the bottle I felt I was getting closer to the truth of the matter. And this glass was the key to solving this case. I would have continued to look over the bottle further if I wasn't interrupted by someone else. The Butler and I turned our heads as we listened to the sound of pounding steps descending down the stairs into the wine cellar. We looked to see Dr. Iplier staring at us as he stepped onto the floor. "Oh, you two are down here."

"Dr. Iplier." The Butler stood up to his feet as he watched the Doctor come closer to the two of us. I also stood up, holding the bottle in my hand.

"What are you doing down here?" the Doctor questioned us, trying to look behind us at the broken bottle.

"We could be asking you the same question." The Butler remarked.

The Doctor shrugged as he explained himself. "The Detective shooed me away once I had helped ran the tests. He didn't want anyone else to get close to the body so I was forced to leave. I figured I would head back to my room and work on some files, but I grew hungry so I went to the kitchen. When I saw the door leading down here opened, I grew curious and came down here."

"So you decided to come down to an abandoned basement all by yourself with no one else around? Not exactly the smartest decision to make in this situation." I remarked with sarcasm.

"You do have a point, but as humans it is in our nature to be curious."

I couldn't argue with him on that one. But as I looked at the Doctor, and idea came to my mind. "Since you're down here, maybe you can help us." I held out my hand, presenting half of the broken bottle that me and the Butler had found. Blue gloved hands took it from my white ones. Dr. Iplier looked over the bottle, turning and twisting it to different degrees and angles. "The Butler found it here this morning when he came down to check on the wine cellar. There's some dried up stains on the edges of the teeth."

"Alcohol from the bottle?" Dr. Iplier questioned.

"Maybe, but I doubt the liquid would make those kinds of stains. The shape and the teeth looks similar to the wounds we found on Mark's body."

"Do you suppose this is the weapon used in the murder?" The Butler gasped as a sound of thunder roared, even while we were underground.

"The jagged edges of the bottle do look similar… and the shape is of the same size. If these stains are blood, then I could take a sample and compare it to Mark's blood. If it's a match, then we have found the weapon that caused Mark's demise."

"Can you do it?" I asked the Doctor.

"Well, the blood is dried, so getting a sample off of this will be difficult. But I have the equipment and experience, so it can be done. I'll just have to get a sample of Mark's blood and compare the two to determine the results."

I nodded, trusting his idea. I turned and bent down to pick up the remaining pieces. Handing them over to the Doctor so he had more samples to take from. "Do what you can and let us know what the results are." Dr. Iplier nodded towards me this time and headed up the stairs with the broken bottle in his hands. I turned back to the Butler as he looked back at me. We both knew we had to trust the Doctor if we were going to find the killer and bring justice for Markiplier. Since I was down there with him, I wanted to ask the Butler more questions. "You don't mind if I ask you a few more questions, do you?"

"Such as?"

"Before this morning, when did you last come down here?"

"I came down here at around 6:30 p.m. last night to gather the liquor for the party. I only came back here two more times after that to get refills. That was 9:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m."

"Was anyone else with you when you came down here?"

"Heavens no!" The Butler assured as he spoke in a defensive tone. "This place is off limits to guest. Only those with the key and Master are allowed down here. And if anyone else wants to come down, they would need to have either me, Master or someone else with the key."

"The key?" I questioned.

"Yes, the small gate that separates the stairwell with the room above requires a key to open. That way no guests can go downstairs without permission."

I crossed my arms over my chest, growing more interested in this conversation. "Who else has this said key?"

"Well, other than myself, the Chief would have one. He does tend to use the alcohol in some of his dishes. But I didn't see him come down here last night. Then again… he doesn't usually come out of his kitchen during parties."

"And the wine cellar is pretty close to his work area." I added as a notice. The Butler perked up when he heard me say that.

"Surely you don't think…" He couldn't even finish his sentence.

"We can't rule anyone out at this point. But I think it would be best if I go and question the Chief next."

The Butler looked down at the ground for a moment, as if he was terrified by the very idea of me just crossing paths with the man. If what we were thinking is true, then I couldn't blame him. But I had to find out the answer myself. Glancing back at me, he was able to stutter out, "Well… be careful. That man… is not the nicests of the employees around here."

I wanted to tell him I already knew that, but I think he knew I already knew that myself. I turned on my blue high heel shoes and walked back up the stairs out of the wine cellar. The next stop on my destination was the kitchen. I had a feeling that I was definitely going to see the Chief in there, cooking up some meal. I had to tread carefully though, after all the man was someone I didn't want to get on his bad side. But I'm pretty sure I already was on that side at this point. Still, I had to talk with him and make sure that he answers the questions I held. As I ascended up the last step and went back up to the parlor, I went straight to the kitchen. Sure enough, I saw the Chief chopping up meat on the counter. He raised a large knife only to bring it down harshly upon the flesh, like he was a butcher chopping up a large carcass. That sight alone sent chills up my spine as my brain started to come up with the worst possible scenarios should this questioning go south. Hugging my own being, I walked straight towards the Chief. I only took about ten steps from where I was to him, when he turned around, knife in hand and pointed the sharp item in my face.

"I thought I told you to stay out of my kitchen!" His voice had the same edge in it from last night, when we first encountered one another. I stood still, but kept my ground as I looked from the metallic item in his hands, towards his light tan skin. He looked back at me, and lowered his knife a bit. "Oh, it's you. The lady that was looking for food last night."

"It's Cosmo…" I said my name, a bit annoyed by the name he was giving me.

"I don't care," he glared at me with harsh eyes. "But I know that you're helping that dick with his little investigation, huh?"

"You mean the investigation of the death of your boss, yes." I didn't even try to be nice to this guy. After all, he wouldn't be that way to me, especially with the impression he made on me. Still, I had to be somewhat reasonable if I was going to get answers from him. "I'm trying to figure out where everyone was last night to see who last saw Mark before he died."

"And you think that I am a likely suspect?"

How I wish I could have told him that he was making it fairly obvious that he seemed like the perfect suspect. But I bite my tongue and instead told him about the evidence we found. "The Butler and I found something in the wine cellar. Something that could help further the investigation and probably tell us who killed Markiplier."

The Chief only chuckled, as if he found this amusing. "Tell me, do you think that I killed him?"

I hesitated for a moment, thinking over. It seemed like he was baiting me to say something specific. As much as I would have loved to tell him that I do believe he could be capable of such a thing, I had to be cautious. If this was a trap, chances are whatever I said would make him angry and could work against me. But I also couldn't say no either, that would be lying. Instead, I answered with a mixture of both ideas. "I believe that if you had the motivation and the tools, you could have done it. But that can be said for anyone who is a suspect in this. Surely you must want a reason to have your boss dead. Not getting paid enough? Then again, you could just quit your work, but you would have nowhere else to go would you? And getting fired from this job wouldn't look good on your resume for a new job either." I kind of sounded like Sherlock Holmes, being very deductive in my investigation. I waited for his response, hoping it would be the one I needed to further this case and one that would keep me alive.

"You sure talk a lot, don't you girly? Must be that big mouth of yours." My face had a disgusted expression. Looks like I wasn't the only one here who didn't have a filter. "Well, I may look like a sweet and innocent man, but some people with short lifespans might think otherwise."

' **Gee, I can't imagine why.'** I thought to myself with a bored look on my face now.

"Still, you are wrong about a couple of things. While I don't exactly like my boss, I do respect him to a degree. He pays me plentily and even lets me have the kicthen to myself. He allows me to try new recipes and gives me the cash necessary for the foods that I want! I've had this job for 25 years now, I know no other options. Quitting, being fired, or even killing off my boss wouldn't look good for me nor would it do me any good in the long run. Does that give you enough of a reason not to suspect me?"

I wasn't that convinced, but he did make a good point. Without the boss, the Chief would be out of the job. Not to mention the fact that his last boss had died due to circumstances wouldn't look good on his record. What puzzled me at the time was when he said he was working for Mark for 25 years. Mark was only 28, nearly 29 last I checked. The math doesn't add up. Unless the Chief was the family Chief, that would make sense. But… Mark's family couldn't be this rich! Just when I think I found the answer to one topic, multiple questions from different topics surface. "Even so," I continued, "can you tell me where you were last night between the time of the party and 1:30 a.m?"

The Chief gave out an aggravated sound, but he complied by answering in one of the most misleading explanations ever. "Last night, after I got rid of all of the evidence… of that delicious meal I prepared, and wiped down all the fingerprints… from those filthy dishes. And saopped up all that blood… I retired to my room at 1:00 a.m and left my little buddy in charge, like I always do." I watched as he went to the counter next to the window, where a miniature life-like version of the cook stood. The Chief bent down and kissed the plastic of the figurine. I found it rather disturbing how accurate it looked compared to the life sized version. Even the ponytail was made of real hair and he had a small silver tray and ladle in his hands. "He sees everything. Why don't you ask HIM what happened last night?"

I thought to myself, he couldn't be serious. He actually wanted me to talk to this creepy doll that rested on his countertop? Still, what other choice did I have? I was desperate for answers. I examined the figure of the Chief, trying to figure out what it was that could help give me another piece to this puzzle. I soon took notice that when I tapped on the back of his head, it was hollow. Growing curious, I attempted to search for some sort of opening. I pulled down the back of his hairy head and took out a small chip stashed inside a small device. I was confused at first about the significance of such a chip. But I knew it had to have been important in some way. Luckily, the good Doctor came walking into the kitchen with what I needed at that exact moment.

"Miss Leer, I'm glad you were still nearby." He said as he made his way towards me. "I was able to take a sample of that dried substance from that bottle. It definitely was blood, I can tell you that much. There wasn't much of it, but there was enough for a good chunk to make a sample with."

I looked over at the Doctor, chip still in hand. "Did you get a blood sample from Mark's body yet?"

"Not yet," Dr. Iplier answered. "I was heading over there myself. But wanted to see if you have any other samples for me to take, just in case."

I shook my head, assuring him that there wasn't anything else he could do to help other than compare the two blood samples. If we can get a match, then we can prove that the bottle was used to kill Mark. And we would be one step closer to finding the murderer. As I stared at the chip still in my hand, and idea came to my mind. I looked back over at the Doctor. "Hey, Dr. Iplier, do you have a laptop with you?"

"Yes, right here with me."

"Can I borrow it for a minute?" I asked. The Doctor looked at me confused, but complied with my request. He handed me his briefcase, which I had to open to acquire his laptop. When I got the small computer, I turned it on and waited. Once it was up and running, I placed the chip inside the hard drive, and figured out what I was looking at. The screen showed me video footage of the house during the night. The first footage it brought up was the parlor, it seemed cleaned at around 1:08 a.m. Everyone was having fun either drinking or playing some games. Then, the footage switched over to what looked like the front entrance on the inside. At 1:03 a.m, but this was yesterday's date I saw in the corner. No one was even present during this time. Why would it show me a clip from yesterday's footage? The next set of footage was taken two days from yesterday, at 1:36 a.m. along one of the hallways of the manor. Why was it going back so many days? I wouldn't be able to find anything from those times! Until I got to the last bit of footage. It was in a room I didn't recognize. The time was 1:17 a.m and it took place just three days before this party! There was the Detective that was just standing there, and the Butler as well.

"Mick!" My eyes widened as I saw Markiplier himself entering the room, extending his hand out towards the Detective called Mick.

"Mark! Good to see you."

"Great to see ya. I trust you already met Tyler and the others?"

Mick, the Detective, nodded as the Butler smiled and shrugged.

Mark laughed along, but I was the one that didn't get the joke. "Listen, thanks again for agreeing to be part of this new project of ours. I know it's a bit of a hassle, but you're a great actor."

"I should be thanking you for giving me this part. I've never played a Detective before, and it's an honor to be working on one of the Teamiplier's next projects."

"Well, I wouldn't have it any other way." Mark assured.

The footage ended, making the screen go black for a moment then the screensaver on the laptop popped up. I took the chip out of the port and stared at the screen longer. As if I was expecting it to give me more answers. Once again, I was confused and had several more questions.

"Miss Leer, are you alright?" I turned around and saw Dr. Iplier staring at me with concern. Clearly he was just as confused as I was. I sighed as I handed him back his laptop. He looked at it for a moment, then back to me. "Do you have any idea what that was about?"

I shook my head, answering honestly. "I think there's more to this mystery than either of us know." I looked around, and noticed that the cook was nowhere to be found. "Where's the Chief?"

"Oh, he left just after you put that chip in the port. Are you gonna go after him?"

"I think he's the least of my concerns right now. There's still other people to question."

"I could help you out if you would like."

"No, you should focus on getting some of Marks' blood and comparing it with the blood on the bottle. We need to determine if that bottle was used to kill Mark. It's the only lead we have right now."

He seemed disappointed for a moment, but it was replaced with understanding. "Alright, I'll get right on it." With that said, he headed off with his laptop and out of the kitchen. Probably heading back to the murder scene to get some of the blood from the victim. I placed the chip back in the doll, not really finding any more use for it. I was getting a headache from this whole ordeal. I thought that some fresh air would do me some good. So I headed out of the kitchen, and out through a door leading me outside to the large deck of the manor. A small fountain with clear water stood there. I walked past it and headed towards the railing, looking out. The sky was covered with puffy gray clouds, not one speck of sunlight was able to shine through. But the birds chirped and the morning seemed to roll by. Though by now, it was probably noon, but I couldn't tell. As I leaned against the large railing, I looked out to see the city below me. I really should have asked where I was or how far away my sisters' home was from here. They must be worried sick about me at the moment. I'm actually worried that something happened to them if they weren't able to call or text me back after so long. Perhaps it was the stress that was getting to me, but I felt I was way in over my head. Who was I kidding, I knew I was! So why did I agree to help out? Why did I have to come here when I knew nothing about the events that would transpire? Was it because I really wanted to meet my idol? Sure, that was part of the reason. Or was it because I wanted to prove a point to my sister? That I could get out of my comfort zone and do things kids my age were doing? I could go to wild parties, mingle with others and maybe meet a cute guy! Now that I thought about it, that was the reason. I was so wrapped up in a selfish desire to prove that I could be… like others my age that I bite off more than I could chew. I rested my arms and chin on the stone railing, seperated in the house with the hill. All I ever wanted was to try to be like everyone else. To be normal, not have my autism hold me back. Heh, instead I ended up in a situation that wasn't of the ordinary. Maybe I should just take my chances and get out of here while I still could. I could just easily step down the stairs below me, navigate my way through the lush trees that surrounded this place and head off to the nearby town. But I knew doing so would make me a fugitive in a crime I didn't even commit.

I allowed the gentle winds of the air to pass through my hair, blowing it slightly. The fresh air was helping me clear my mind. The scent of the grasses and leaves filled me with a familiar feeling. Reminding me of when I was still in grade school and how I would play with kids my age on the fields of the playground. Back then, I didn't even know I had a mental problem and that it would effect me in the later years. I closed my eyes for a moment, wishing desperately to go back to the days where I was younger, carefree from life itself. To be in the warm and loving embrace of my whole family again. When I opened my eyes, I was still standing where I was. I silently cried inside, knowing that just by wishing on something wouldn't be enough for me to reach it. Besides, what I wanted was impossible.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of someone in black walking next to a gazebo. I looked up to see that it was Damien pacing around the small area. I had been meaning to talk to him since I heard his conversation… argument, with the Colonel. He seemed to be the only one, aside from myself, to be taking the death of Markiplier so hard. I slowly made my way towards him, hoping to talk to him. Not for information about last night, but rather to try and help ease him and his emotions. I admit, I'm not the best person to come to when it comes to helping with ones feelings. But I do try, even if I end up making them worse. "Uh… Damien?" I called out to him.

He turned around quickly, a bit nervous as to whom it was that had called out to him. When he saw it was me, relief flooded his face. "Miss Leer…" his voice sounded weak, like he could hardly talk. I held my left arm and squeezed it a bit.

"Are… you holding up well?" he looked back over at me, a stunned expression portrayed on his face. I glanced down at the ground, realizing how stupid of a question that was. Immediately, I apologize. "Sorry… I shouldn't have asked such an obvious question."

His gentle voice assured me though. "There is no need to apologize, it's nice to know someone is concerned about this matter." I looked back up at him, his eyes were now downcasted. I felt I should have mentioned his conversation with the Colonel. But he beat me to it. With a sigh, he looked back up at me. "Look, I'm sorry you saw that argument with the Colonel. I lost my temper, and it wasn't right."

"After this morning, I'm surprised someone is actually showing some actual emotion out of this. Don't get me wrong, I know there are some that are trying to help. But, between the Chief, Detective, Butler and even the Colonel… it feels like you and I are the only ones mourning the loss of…" I couldn't even say the name of the one that had passed. I bite my lower lip, my chest was tightening due to the mentioning of this morning.

"The Colonel is a good man, he really is. Maybe he's just in such a shock, he doesn't really know how to respond." Damien said, though it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself more than me. "The Colonel's an eccentric; it's his best quality and his worst. But he's my friend, and… so was Mark."

"You three are pretty close, huh?"

"We've been friends for years now, all of us. Mark, the Colonel, The Host, Dr. Iplier, Bim Trimmer, Ed Edgar and I. Sure, not all of us got along all the time but we always stuck together. Now in just one night, everything has changed! I can't help but feel lost, knowing that Mark is just suddenly gone?" His voice was breaking, I could hear it. My eyes softened, knowing his pain. I had to say something that would make him feel better.

I looked down at the ground again, as I started talking about myself. "I'm sorry… I know what you're going though, if it helps."

"You do?" Damien asked, sounding suddenly interested.

"About a year and a half ago… I lost my parents. We were coming home from my brothers' place and… they were killed by some… beast. It happened right in front of my eyes. I still think about it sometimes." I gave myself as self-hug as I tried to keep the tears in. "They… they were mutilated. Right in front of me."

Damien was silent for a moment, I knew he was probably trying to process my story. "I'm so sorry…" He gently said. I felt his warm fingers lift my chin up and we both stared into each other's eyes. "That must have been a horrible experience for you. No one should ever have to go through what the two of us have seen."

I nodded, agreeing with him. "It was hard, but it gets easier over time. Once we find the killer, I'm sure you and the others can begin the healing process as well." A smile graced those lips of Damien's. But I myself was not as convinced. "Look, I know I'm supposed to be some leader in this scenario, but I can't help but feel lost!" I removed my chin from his fingers as I rubbed my arms. "I-I mean… I've only ever read or seen these types of situations before. I have no clue what I'm really doing or why I agreed to be part of it. I came here to have some fun, not to solve Markiplier's death. I've been a huge fan of him, since I was in eighth grade. And now… now it feels like in just one night I lost an idol and everyone is looking to me to try and get him his justice. But, I'm just a kid! I can't figure out how to solve this murder!" Another splash of thunder roared around us. "Heck, I can't even decide how I'm going to tell my sisters about this when this is all over!"

Damien's face was of a empathetic one. "I know you must be feeling pressured right now, but you seem to be doing a wonderful job. I heard from Dr. Iplier that you found the weapon used to kill Mark. And if there is a match of DNA, finding the killer will be easy. You're doing more than enough as is. In fact, you're handling this situation far better than I am."

I smiled, only slightly. Why did his words ease me so well? I shook my head and sighed. "I don't have any answers right now, but as long as you and the others believe in me I'll try my best to bring this case to a close."

"I have no doubt you will be capable of doing that." Damien looked down at the cane he was holding, twirling it in his hands. "I'm… sure you must want me to answer some of your questions if you have any for me. But, I don't think I can answer any myself."

"Damien, you just lost a friend, you're going to be more than shaken up."

He looked back at me, regaining his smile. "We'll talk soon, but I need to think."

"Take as long as you need, it might still be awhile before everything is resolved. Just be careful when you're alone, alright?" Damien nodded towards me and headed off towards the gazebo. I thought that he wouldn't have killed Mark. The two of them had been close friends, and he was taking the death of his friend very hard. Clearly he cared about him so much that the thought of murder could never cross his mind. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, trying to clear away the tiredness. I walked back inside the manor, navigating my way through a few halls. I had planned on going to the bathroom to use the toilet. Now that I thought about it, I haven't eaten anything in the past couple of hours or used the restroom in that time as well. And yet, I didn't feel hungry now that I was thinking about it. Then again, who can think about food during the presences of death? Still, I needed to freshen up anyways. I found a small bathroom, to my luck, and walked right in. I eyed my reflection in the mirror, hanging above the sink. I walked up to the marble counter and looked closer at myself. I checked my eyes to see that bags were present. I reached up with one of my fingers and pulled down the skin under my eye. I hadn't been awake for long, but I was already growing tired again. I had shut my eyes for a moment, trying to give my sight some rest. I had been keeping my eyes peeled all morning to find any clues that would help me and the Detective with this investigation. But right now, I wanted nothing more than to either go back to sleep or get out of here. "I really just want to go home…" I sighed to myself.

A sound caused me to swiftly look up at my reflection. I saw a crack formed in the glass, a small one. Was that there before, or was I beginning to hallucinate? The crack moved along the surface, getting larger and causing more cracks. I stepped back, scared that the mirror would break right in front of me. The whole glass became disoriented into a web of cracks. There was even a small hole that seemed to have been where all of the cracks and lines were forming into. I lowered my arms, feeling a bit vulnerable but my curiosity made me look closer into the small hole of the mirror, where light was radiating from inside not the glass, but inside the very box. When I looked at the light, and only the light, the world around me grew white and I lost my counsiness for a brief moment.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

My whole being shot straight up from where I was lying. My skin was damp from the cold sweat that hung on me like droplets on a leaf. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of my lungs, so I bolted up and started gasping for air. I threw the sheets off of me and looked around my surroundings. Confusion was written on my face as I looked around to find myself back in the room in my sisters' house. "W-what? I-I'm… back in my room?" I looked down to see that I was still in my outfit from yesterday. The blankets now were all over the bed when I tossed them away to sit up. I held my head in my left hand as my breathing was starting to normalize again. Just one minute ago, I was in Markiplier's manor, solving his murder. And now I'm back here? Was it… all just a dream? But, it felt so real. I shook my head, trying to clear it. But it ended up failing. I slowly crawled out of my bed and walked out of the room. I walked down the hallway until I entered the kitchen. Kris was at the stove, making some breakfast. I took a sniff of the air to smell that she was making some eggs and bacon. My sister turned her head to see me coming to her side.

"Well, good morning sleepyhead. Did you enjoy your power-nap?" sarcasm was in her voice, but so was that teasing portion as well.

"What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Almost ten," she answered. "You've been asleep for 20 hours."

My eyes widened as I stared at her. I was asleep that long? I wasn't even that tired, and I never slept that late before. A heavy sigh came out of my lips as I covered my forehead and eyes with my hand. "I'm sorry…"

"For what? You didn't look so well yesterday. And it wasn't like we had anything planned either." She turned her whole body towards me, her hands resting on her hips. I looked back up at her as her eyebrow was arched and her lip was a straight line. "Have you been getting enough sleep lately?"

I hated it when she was in that pose. Her mother pose as I called it. She reminded me so much of our mother, in both looks and attitude. It only made me depressed, being reminded of the woman that raised us, but she herself couldn't be here to answer these questions. I didn't want to tell Kris about my dream, the letter or the dress. She might think I was crazy, or not really understand. Instead, I came up with another excuse. "To be honest, I've been so busy with my school project that sleep seems to be the last thing I need." I laughed nervously as I rubbed my arm.

"Kate…"

"It's not that big of a deal, really." I tried to defend myself. "I've only stayed up a couple of hours past my normal curfew. And I take weekends off anyways. Animation isn't the easiest thing Kris, but it's what I want to do."

"I just don't want to see you overwork yourself. That's not good for your health."

"It's not like I'm gonna get cancer. I can take care of myself."

"Kate." Her tone was more stern now, but I wouldn't back down.

"I promise, I'll take better care of my sleeping. Not when I get back home, but while I'm here with you. Just…" I turned my head away, I couldn't even look at her. We didn't say anything to each other for a minute. To my luck though, Kay came into the room through the hall I took.

"I smelt bacon and eggs," she chimed with a merry voice. "Uh… did I interrupt something?"

I looked over at her and shook my head. "No, I was just getting some breakfast."

Kay smiled at me. "Don't hog all the bacon."

"That's like asking me not to walk." I joked. The two of us headed towards the stove, grabbing some plates and piled the food up like we were dogs waiting to get treats. The three of us sat in the living room as we ate our breakfast. I loved my sister's cooking, she really was talented. My cooking and my mom's could never match up to my sister's. I looked over at Kris for a moment, her eyes transfixed on her own food. I went back to staring at my own. Kay was the first one to break the silent.

"So, did you have a good rest?" Kay teased me.

I looked back up at her, a tinted blush crossed my face. "Uh… yeah. I-I guess it was the stress getting to me."

"That's what happens when you build it up." Kay shrugged as she put some scrambled eggs in her mouth.

"Y-yeah…" I awkwardly played with my food for a bit. "Maybe I just need something else to keep me busy."

"Well that shouldn't be a problem," Kay assured. "We're heading to the office to get the flyers for the fundraiser. Can we trust you to make them?"

A smile cross my lips this time, my nervousness and embarrassment disappearing. "Of course, you know that's my specialty."

Kay nodded. "Great, we also need help with the invite on the website."

"That sounds more like David's department." I remarked.

"Well he's not here with us at the moment. And you know how to do that stuff."

"Not as well as him."

"We believe in you. And it doesn't have to be anything fancy, just make sure that the message gets across. As long as the viewers know about the fundraiser, you've done your part."

I guess she did have a point there. I knew how to make some invitations on the computer and upload them to a webpage. David showed my mom and I when she was getting the nonprofit started how to make a webpage and how to upload images on there. He's always been good with computers and tech, maybe that's where he got his love for games. Unlike Markiplier though, my brother wasn't interested in being a YouTuber because of that reason alone. He even mocked about the idea because he said that it took more than making videos to become a YouTuber and get paid for it. Personally, I think he could do it. He definitely has the voice of a YouTuber, and the strong reaction portion down as well.

I was the first one to finish my breakfast. So I headed back into the kitchen to rinse off my plate and put it in the dishwasher. Then I proceeded down the hall and headed to my bedroom to get changed for the day. I had been wearing this outfit since yesterday morning and a change was long overdue. I headed back to my makeshift bedroom and took out another shirt and some shorts. This time, it was a blue shirt that said Pokemon on it with a Pikachu on the front. I really was a nerd, just by my shirts I had alone. But I didn't care, fandoms were my life. Well, a second life, one I could escape to when my first life was giving me a hard time. Once I put on my change of clothes, I went over to the nightstand next to the futon and looked at my phone, to see if I had gotten any notifications or emails. As I reached for my device however, I now notice something that should have grabbed my attention sooner, but I didn't notice until then. The letter I had received yesterday, the one that was an invitation to the party… it was gone!

?

I tried not to think about it too much. If I did, I would let it get to me. And that was the last thing I wanted to have on my mind at that very moment. It had to have been a dream, I thought to myself. The dress was nowhere in my room and the texts I sent to Kris or Kay weren't in my history either. Perhaps it was just my overactive imagination mixed with me watching some Markiplier videos. Added with the stress to my mind, it was probably those factors that made that strange yet vivid dream in the first place. But, I was sure I was awake when I got that invitation…

I kept telling myself over and over as I was getting ready in the bathroom that I needed to let the subject go. If I continued to go back to it, I would let it bother me as the day went on. And I would not let my day of work be interrupted because of a stupid stress dream. I sighed a couple of times in the bathroom alone. I sternly told myself that I wouldn't be bothered with my animation project or any YouTube videos for the remainder of the visit. Especially videos that involved Markiplier. I needed to clear my mind of such trivial things and focus on helping out the nonprofit with my sisters.

The drive to the main building was only thirty minutes, but it felt like hours. I sat in the back, staring out the window as I saw the buildings pass by, people walking down the sidewalk. Some were minding their own business and others held signs to identify themselves a homeless. It always seemed like the further you go into these inner cities, the more poverty you are exposed to. It really was depressing, seeing all these kids younger than myself being kicked out onto the cold and unforgiving streets. At least it was springtime now, winter seemed to be the worst time to be homeless. It was these kinds of sights that inspired my mom to created her nonprofit. To help those that need the resources to build a better life for themself. I watched while listening to my music, the sad and slow paced songs only making the scenery outside even more depressing. And the gray clouds gathering in the sky only added to the sorrowful atmosphere that gathered only around me.

When we got there, we headed into the large complex and took a few hallways to get to the main office. There were two desk with computers at them, a couple of cream colored arm chairs dotted around the room and there was a small TV and a stack of books and magazines against a corner. The other room was for the workers behind the scenes. This room was used for anyone to come in and make an appointment with us. I walked to the other room that was behind one of the desks and entered. Aside from the wall where the door was, there were three other desks and each one had its own computer. I sat down at the one farthest away from the door and turned on the monitor and the motherboard. While the computer was turning on and warming up, I walked around the room and looked through some cabinets and files. Gathering a bunch of paper and coloring tools, I went back to my desk and got straight to work. I took out a pencil and started a few rough drafts of some ideas for the flyers.

Today, I had a simple task. All I had to do was create a flyer for the fundraiser, print off about 1,000 copies and mail them. Then I had to put a digital image of said flyer up on the website so everyone will know about it once they go to it. With any luck, I was hoping to finish within six to seven hours. I wished it was longer though, I wanted anything to take my mind off of that dream. ' **No,'** I told myself as I shook my head. ' **Don't think about it! The last thing you need on your mind is silly nonsense!'** I looked down at the paper and finished one draft. I reached over to put the pencil down and grabbed a sharpie pen, tracing over where the graphite lines were with the black ink. ' **This fundraiser is too important,'** I reminded myself. ' **This would mean so much to mom for it to go perfect…'** My narrowed pupils softened as I lifted the sharpie from the paper for a moment.

My eyes glanced over at a picture hanging on the wall of when this place was first opened as the headquarters for the Caring Coordination Connections or CCC. The look on my mother's face, how proud she was to have her hard work get her this far. Kris and I were happy for her, as we stood on either side of our mom. My face became long as that feeling of emptiness and anguish returned to me. I missed her smiling face so much. How I wished desperately to have her back so she could see what we were doing right now. I know she would be proud of us, of me and my sisters and everyone we were working with. But ever since she's been gone it never felt the same. Not only did the nonprofit lose it's CEO and birth parent, but I myself lost a mother.

I tried to keep the tears from rising in my sockets. I wiped at my eyes under my glasses with my sleeve. I wouldn't cry, I had to be strong for her. I looked back down at the other blank sheets of paper before me, and began drawing out a couple other ideas I had for the flyers.

It took me nearly an hour, but I had finished five rough drafts for the flyer. A few of them I was more proud of than others and some of them I felt could have used more work either with different color options or with differences in symbols and wording. Still, I figured that out of these five, one would be good enough to be picked as the contentor to spread the word about the event. Standing up from the table and stretching my limbs for a moment, I gathered the five pieces of paper and headed out to the other room. Kris and Kay were working at the computers, probably working on some cases and appointments they had to deal with today. I headed over to Kay, still feeling a bit sore with Kris this morning. She looked up at me with cocoa eyes from her screen as I smiled at her.

"Hey kiddo, how's the flyers coming along?"

I handed her the sheets of paper and as she looked through them, I explained to her. "I was able to get five ideas down. I didn't know which one would be the best candidate, so I'll let you and Kris chose. If none of them work out, I'll be more than happy to make you a few more."

Kay looked over each paper carefully, examining the words, the symbols and the coloring. She had a perplexed look on her features, examining each and everyone as if trying to pick out even one single flaw they might have. "Gee Kate, I dunno…"

"W-what is it?" I asked, sounding a bit nervous.

She looked up at me, a teasing smile on her face. "I think your art skills are getting better than mine." Laughter came from her lips as I rolled my eyes. My sister-in-law really could be a tease at times, but that was why I like her. "I can look over these with Kris and we can determine which one is best. Can you go to the break room and get us some coffee? I could use a cup myself and I'm feeling drained just by looking at this glowing screen." I nodded towards her and went for the door. "If they have any hot chocolate, don't be afraid to get some yourself."

I looked over at her before heading out the door. "Okay." I proceeded down the hallway and took a few turns to get to where I needed to go. The break room was on the second to last floor of the building, where there was a kitchen, tables and vending machines for the workers to take small breaks and eat. There was even a TV for them to watch a program or two before heading back to work. The room was recently added once we got to over 50 workers, but everyone seems to be using it to the full extent. I took the stairs down until I got to the second floor, hopping the last step. I turned the corner of the stairwell and came face to face with the break room. The vending machines lined up against one side of the wall and the stove and cabinets that made up a mini kitchen took residents on the other side. The TV was hung in one corner of the room, but it only showed a black screen. The brown mahogany round tables each had four black, plastic chairs. Maybe it wasn't the best room to take a break, but the atmosphere here was very calming. Honestly, I'd rather sit at one of these round tables and write or draw than have to be stuck in that small desk typing away on a keyboard. But that was just me though, I had no idea how the others felt.

I made my way over to the small kitchen and looked over at the coffee maker. I frowned as I saw that not only was it not on, but there wasn't even anything to make the coffee with. Usually the early morning janitor was incharge of starting the hot drinks like coffee and hot cocoa in the morning before he leaves. Or at the very least gather the ingredients in the pots. Clearly he had forgotten to do that this morning. Meaning if Kay and Kris wanted their coffee and I wanted my hot cocoa, I would have to make it myself. I sighed for the first time in that building that day. And it wouldn't be my last. I walked over to the coffee maker and checked to see what I needed. The paper filter was still placed inside, I just had to get the powder and pour some water in and start the machine up. I went looking through the cabinets, trying to find the coffee powder. I eventually found it on the far left side of the cupboards. Grabbing the large containing, I opened the lid and took out a plastic spoon from a nearby drawer. Taking a few spoonfuls of the black grains and poured them into the filter until it covered the bottom. I then took the picther and headed towards the sink to fill it with tap water. Once the pot was ¼ of the way full, I dumped the liquid into the side of the machine and read that it would fill about six cups. That should be enough for my two sisters. I pushed the button and waited for the coffee to be made. The small machine made whirling and buzzing noises, indicating that it was warming up before it could brew the hot contents. I leaned against the counter, watching the machine. It would only take about three to five minutes before the coffee was done. I could wait that long.

As the machine on the counter continued to cry out, my ears picked up something from behind me. I turned around, thinking I heard what I thought was footsteps. Perhaps Kris or Kay had entered the break room to see what was taking me so long. But no one was there. Maybe it was just my imagination playing tricks on me, I tried to assure myself. I looked back over at the coffee maker, trying to use its' own sounds to distract me. But instead of the dripping of coffee water into the container, I kept hearing a small voice. It was faint, but the words were clear. ' _ **Give it back!'**_ It called out. I jumped when I first heard that small sentence. I looked around, trying to locate the source, but they wandered back to the coffee pot. ' _ **Give it back!'**_ I could feel my heart racing in my chest as those three words kept repeating over and over again. I closed my eyes to try and block them out, but it was as if they were being said inside my own head! I was saved from the torment when the machine gave out a loud ding, to indicate that the coffee was ready. I looked back up from the floor to see that the container was halfway full of black liquid. I took a deep breath to help calm my nerves, it didn't do much but it helped a little.

I went back over to one of the cupboards and took out two styrofoam cups. I poured the coffee into each one until they were nearly full. I placed the remaining coffee back into the machine, just in case someone else wanted more. Though now that it was nearing one in the afternoon, I doubted. I grabbed the two cups and made my way back towards the office my sisters' were at. My hands shook as I walked up the stairs, nearly spilling some of the liquid inside the cups onto the floor. Halfway towards the office, I forced my arms to stop what they were doing. Demanding that my nerves be at ease by the time I would get back. ' **Keep it together Cosmo,'** I told myself. ' **You're probably just remembering some of the scenes from your dream last night that got to you. Just gotta get through the rest of the day.'** I tried so hard to tell myself that. That it was all in my head and that I was going slightly crazy. I really hoped it was the case.

When I arrived back in the room, Kris and Kay were gathered around one desk, looking over the flyers I made. They gazed over in my direction when they heard me come in. I put on a smile, a fake one, as I walked over and handed them their cups of coffee. "Thanks love," Kay gladly took one of the cups and pressed the hot liquid to her lips, taking a large gulp. Kris took the other cup, but set it down to the side of her desk. My smile loosened because I knew how much she loved her coffee. And the only time she never drinked a cup that was offered to her was when she was in some form of mood that wasn't pleased. "So, Kris and I looked over your flyers and we think this one would look the best!" Kay presented to me one of the flyers. This one had a white background with green leaves bordering the edge of the paper. In bold bright green letters read ' **Caring Connections Fundraiser! April 21st, from 8-11 PM.'**

"This one?" I pointed to the one Kay was holding. Both of them nodded as I took the paper from Kay and smiled again. "Alright, I'll trace this onto the computer and print out the flyers."

"Then you can put them all in the envelopes and we'll take care of the mailing." Kay added.

I gave her a thumbs up and headed back to my work station. I scanned my work onto the computer and using Photoshop, I began to trace the image onto the screen and made the page go digital. I only recently started using Photoshop because Kay was kind enough to get it for me when she saw how great I was at making digital art. I was accustomed to using FireAlpaca, but Photoshop had so many other functions and cool effects. The only problem was it was hard to tell where everything was located at times, but I was starting to get the hang of it all. Luckily, the digital work didn't take me that long. About an hour, for me to trace over it, color it in and gave it some effects. I stared blankly at the screen while I worked on the project. The brightness of the monitor distracted me from the events that took place in the kitchen and it made me feel safe. The computer and the internet were the places that I felt most safe and secured at. It made me forget about the real world and made me feel like I could be part of something greater. Maybe that was why I aspired to be like so many YouTubers and Vloggers.

Soon, the digitizing was finished. As I had saved it in my folder, Kay walked in and looked over my shoulder to check on my progress. "Finished yet?"

I glanced over at her and pointed at the screen. "I just saved it all as it is. I'm ready to print out the copies!"

"Great!" I saved the image into a folder for the non-profit. Then I plugged in a flashdrive to download the image onto it. Once I took the flashdrive out of the motherboard, I got up from my chair and headed through the room.

"I'll head down and print out the copies. We need 1,000 right?"

Kay nodded towards me. "You want us to come with you?"

"Nah, I'll be fine by myself. It won't take me that long." Before she could protest, I was already out the door and heading down the hallway. I took the stairs towards the fourth floor of the building, where a whole other floor had cubeicals of desks and office space. I maneuvered my way through these small work spaces and headed towards another room off to the side where the copier was. I took out the flashdrive and plugged it into the large machine, going over to the small screen of the device, I tapped on a few files before it brought up the one I needed. I clicked on my digital image and increased the numbers of copies to 1,000. Once that was done, I stood back and watched as the machine came to life. It started spewing out papers with my image on them twenty every minute. I stood against the wall, watching the printer/copier make so many replicas of my work like it was nothing. I closed my eyes for a while, using the blaring noises of the machine to sooth me into a light sleep. I didn't understand why I was so tired considering how long I was asleep for last night. But it was good to rest my eyes after they were glued to a screen or looking at the face of my discouraged sister. I also let the noises drown out my ears, considering how often these two limbs seem to be playing tricks with my hearing this morning. It was nice just to let your body be engulfed in a void of nothingness. To help ease my mind and clear it of any troubles. At least, that's what I've either read or seen. But it does work in a sense, for me at least. I felt more relaxed as my body and mind seemed to be going through a journey of bliss.

Unfortunately, it was interrupted when the printer stopped in its' process of copying. I opened my eyes and saw that the printer was down. Walking over to it, I checked to see what the problem was. I sighed in annoyance as I looked at the screen that showed bolded letters of 'Out of Paper'.

"You've got to be kidding me," I groaned, "how do we run out of paper so quickly. Most of our stuff is digital nowadays." I checked to see that only three hundred copies were made. Not even halfway towards the many we needed. I rubbed the back of my head and looked out of the copier room and into the cubicles. I didn't want to go downstairs and disappoint my sisters. I sighed, knowing what I had to do. I walked out of the room and headed down the stairs to the basement, where the storage unit was. I jumped the last step of the bottom floor, and looked out to see my new location. Unlike the break room and the office, the floor down here was solid concrete rather than a plush carpet. Rows and columns of shelves lined up against each other. There were stacks of paper, boxes, writing utensils and other supplies that would be used for office work. I rubbed my arms up and down as the sudden cold contact the air made on my skin. It was always so cold down here, even in the summertime. I always hated coming down here by myself. Not because I thought it was scary or anything, I just didn't like the fact that this place was so large. I always ended up getting lost in here for at least a half an hour. The shelves looked similar and were stacked and lined up in a pattern that the whole place mimicked a maze.

I, however, needed to get some copy paper so I could finish getting those flyers done. I knew where the copy paper was at least, way back at the end of the room. I began my way towards the farthest part of the room, going to the way back. My feet carried me through the corridors, I looked around feeling on edge. It was dead silent in this place and though there was lighting, it kept flickering on and off because the forensic lights have been buggy these last few years. Now I really was getting a creepy feeling. Shivers ran down my back, and it wasn't from the coldness. It felt like the shelves on either side of me were caving in on me, giving me a sense of claustrophobia. I tried to focus on the task at hand and just kept walking. I soon spotted the large wall at the end of the room and smiled in relief. As I was drawing closer to my destination, my ears once again picked up something. This time, it was the sound of patters on the concert. I paused in my movements, listening closely but no sounds came about. I shrugged it off, thinking that because of the large space down here it was probably the echo of my footsteps. I regained my pace but only a few steps in and the pattering on the floor started up again. I stopped much quicker this time and turned around, trying to locate the sound with both ears and eyes.

"Hello? Kris? Kay? Are you down here?" I called out, hoping that they would answer. I would have rather taken Kay's fits of laughter of this prank than the eerie silence in the room. I bit my lower lip and kept walking, staying alert in case there really was someone here with me. Once I reached the other side of the room, I went searching through the shelves to find the paper. The copy paper was stacked up in piles in a large cardboard box. Each package had about 250 papers each. I would only need three of these stacks and head back upstairs to the copy machine to finish printing out those flyers. As I reached to grab one of the packages, I again heard the noises at a louder intervale. I clenched my hand into a fist and stood up from where I was. I turned around and glared out towards the room. "Okay, this joke isn't funny! Come on out, now!" I waited for a response to my demand. I was met with the flickering lights, the cold draft but no noises. "I could have sworn…" I sighed again that day as I bent down to pick up the packages of paper. "Maybe I really am going crazy." I noted to myself as I got the stacks of papers and cradled them in my arms. I took a long deep breath in and exhaled the air to reassure myself. I was just overimaginating, I told myself. I needed to get back to work.

I turned on my heels and proceeded to walk out of this place, but upon my first step, I lost my balance and fell onto the concret body first, thankfully. The packages of paper landed around me upon my impact with the ground. I used my elbows to prop myself up to try and figure out what it was I fell over. Glancing at my feet, I saw a tiny wooden box just standing there. It was so small, probably could fit in the palm of my hand. I was more confused than distraught about the object. "Where the hell did that come from?" I was positive that I didn't take any small boxes off the shelves and put them on the floor. And I highly doubt a box this small could hold much anyways. I stood up and dusted my outfit and skin off. Luckily I didn't get any scrapes or cuts from the contact of the hardened floor, and the papers were all right in their plastic wrap. I gathered the large packages in my arms again and, ignoring the small box where it was, made my way up the stairs back to the copier.

I had to unwrap the plastic on the papers then put them in the slot before I could start up the machine again. Once I did, my eyes were glued as the machine went back where it left off. I was probably there for 35 minutes, pupils transfixed on the process and nothing else. It was the longest and boring thing I've ever done, but at the same time it relaxed me rather than exhausted me. Once the flyers were all printed, I gathered them together by grabbing a large box that was lying around the machine. Stacking them all in the container, I carried them down the stairs and headed around the corner back to my sisters'. I must not have shut the door all the way when I left because the glass door was opened ajar. I was about to head inside, but the sound of voice stopped me in my tracks.

"You aren't listening to me." Kris proclaimed.

"I am listening to you, I'm just not agreeing with you!" Kay stated.

I pressed my back against the wall, getting as close to the door as I could without have the glass see me. "I just think it would be better if we have Kate live with us!" Kris stated in a defensive tone.

"We can't go through this again."

"Kay, she's breaking up inside! I know my own sister! Her behavior isn't natural, even for her!"

"So she's been staying up late and it's caught up to her. She's probably already learned that by now. We all stay up for long periods of time every now and then."

"But for her to be sleeping for that long?!"

"Maybe she's just sick." I could hear the shrug in Kay's voice. "Probably a head cold or something, she seems fine now though."

"That's not the point! The point is what if this is only the beginning? What if this is a sign to state a cry for help?"

"Kris, you can't just assume that she's being anxious because of a sleeping problem."

"What else could it be huh?! I know it can't be because of the 'Incident' that was a year and a half ago!"

"Do you honestly expect her to forget about what happened that night and move on with her life? If it were you or me, we both would be shaken up by what we saw. Kate has been through a lot."

"And you don't think I haven't?! She was my mom too! Heck, she was your mother-in-law!"

"I didn't say I'm not as upset as her or you, but add that trauma to her autism and that could affect anyone in the long run." Kay took a moment to sigh before she went on. "Maybe it's the fundraiser, just being reminded of her mother's work could be reminding her of that night."

"She's never had a problem with working here after the 'Incident'."

"Maybe after a few months went by. But what this fundraiser means for the nonprofit… that alone could be triggering something in her. I'm not a psychologist, but that's my guess."

I heard someone sitting down in a chair and listened intently. "I get that it hasn't been easy for her, and maybe she's still struggling. That's why I wanted to bring up the topic. I think that we should have her live with us. Convince her that this would be a good thing for her."

"She's not going to want this."

"I'm her older sister, I have some custody over her!"

"So does your brother and I, and Kate is old enough to make her own decisions. She's been living on her own since she graduated high school and she's been attending college and her work here has been crucial to the nonprofit. Why should we change things when they are going so well for everyone?"

"Because everything around us is changing every day, and Kate could snap at any moment!"

"Kris…"

"Please…" There was pleading in her tone. "At least consider it. We don't have to mention this to her until we all agree but, don't forget why I want to do this."

There was a long pause between the conversation. I waited intenstly for Kay's response and hoped that she would drop the subject right then and there. She spoke, "Alright, we'll call David and talk about it."

"Thank you," relief flooded my sister's voice. I stood there, leaning against the wall as I gripped the box of papers in my arms. I bit the bottom of my lip to try and distract myself from the heartbreaking going on inside of me. I didn't want to eavesdrop on their conversation, but if it was about me they should have the right to tell me straight to my face rather than just talk behind my back. I stood up from the wall and walked right into the office, a small smile was placed on my face to distract them from what I was feeling.

"Hey kiddo," Kay greeted me upon my arrival.

"Sorry that took so long, I had to go downstairs to the storage room to get some more copy paper because the machine ran out." I explained.

"It's fine, you don't have to worry. All you got to do now is put the flyers in the envelopes and upload the image onto the website. Then you should be done for the day." Kay instructed me.

I nodded towards her and headed back to my desk. When they no longer saw my face, my features darkend to a bitter expression.

?

We got back home at around 4 in the afternoon. I had spent the rest of my work day stuffing the flyers into envelopes which took me an hour and a half alone. Luckily the website didn't take that long, about five minutes for me to get the image up and add in a few extra details. When I had done my work for the day, my sisters' told me they would handle the addresses for the flyers and that we could take the rest of the day off. I was pleased because I didn't think I could spend another minute at that place with it's strange noises and moving boxes. Just thinking about it gave me the shivers. We ended up going out for lunch and mostly talked about the fundraiser. Kris had some ideas about the decorations and the setup for the event. She even bought out a large ballroom from a warehouse to host the event. I told her that was a very interesting idea. And it was even better when she said she was able to get the three of us a hotel room so when the party was done, we could stay at the building and order room service. I had to admit, the idea alone was a fun one and I was looking forward to the event. Kris assured me that the night before the event would take place, we would head over to the place and make sure the decorations were in order.

We soon got back to the house where Oliver was waiting for me. I took him out for him to do his business and headed back inside. For the rest of the day, the two of us were looking at dress catalogues, since I wasn't able to participate in yesterday's dress shopping I had to make up for my lost time.

"So, I was thinking that maybe I could go for a spaghetti strapped dress for the event. But then I figured, I don't want to reveal too much of my shoulders so I tried looking for dresses with longer sleeves. But then, as I saw the ones they have, they seem to have a lower breast line and you know that I have a large chest so clearly that can't be an option." Kris rambled on and on about the types of dresses she and Kay looked at while I was asleep yesterday. I was sitting on the bed, looking at both the pages of the booklets of dresses Kris gave me and also looking at the floor where the two were sitting at.

I closed the catalog and stared at my sister. "Does it really matter the type of dress? So long as you're comfortable, why should it matter?"

She looked offended as she glared at me. "This is a formal event, you have to try to at least look your best! Besides, of course it matters what type of dress you need because some dresses don't work for everyone!"

"Especially when you take body shape into account." Kay added as she glanced in my direction. I blinked at what she said and looked down at my own figure. I knew I wasn't as skinny as a Barbie doll, and I was fine with that. But the extra weight in my stomach did make me feel self-conscious now and then. I only weighed a little over 200 pounds, but I've tried to keep my weight around there with eating better and less while doing some more exercise. Sure, that is easier said than done, but I try! "Don't feel bad, Kate." Kay tried to reassure me. "Your chest and your butt make up for your weight."

I looked back at her and wrap my arms protectively around my figure. I really hated it when people talked about my body. Who would feel comfortable with the body they had? "C-can we change the subject?"

"We could talk about color." Kris suggested. "I was thinking of having a velvet dress, but then I thought that wouldn't work well with the color theme. So I was either going with a midnight black, a white satan or maybe a seafoam green!"

"If anyone is going to wear green, it should be me! I love that color!" I proudly stated, picturing myself in my green and white blended summer dress with black circular pattern running vertically on the fabric.

"I always pictured you wearing a royal blue color." Kay said.

Immediately, my green and white summer dress was replaced with the blue floor length one that I wore in my dream. My thoughts took me back to me in that dress, approaching the mansion and going around through the halls. Flashes of myself playing poker with Markiplier and his friends danced across my mind. For a moment, the memory of the dream seemed so surreal that it was a pleasure for me to experience it. Especially when I had that one moment with Mark himself. As I looked upon Mark's face, he smiled at me on the couch we shared while I only smiled back at him. In an instant, his glowing features were replaced by pale, emotionless eyes in a flash, like lightning. Soon splatters of crimson blood and cream wine mixed together in my head. The sound of glass shattering echoed in my mind as well as the music that played last night during the gaming.

"What do you think, Kate?" I was snapped out of those flashing images as I looked back at my sisters', staring at me intensely.

"W-what?" I asked, still in a dazed.

"I asked you if you would be okay with a turquoise dress. You did look good in light colors. And it's a mixture of blue and green." Kris stated.

I processed the question for a moment, licking my chapped lips I nodded slightly. "Y-yeah. I'm okay with that color. And for the type… I don't care."

"We could go to Tailor World tomorrow," Kay suggested. "I'm sure they'd have a lot of dresses in those colors that could fit our size."

"Yeah, but what about the types?" Kris raised a brow.

"As long as you look good, I don't care." Kay rested her head on Kris shoulders, a goofy smile portrayed on her lips. "Besides, I'd rather see you in as a little clothing as possible. But the fundraiser won't let me."

Kris giggled as she pushed Kay off her shoulder. "Stop being gross, we aren't alone."

I rolled my eyes at the two. "It's not like I don't know what you two are talking about." I remarked as I hopped off the bed and began to walk out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Kris asked.

"To work on my animation project. I still need to work out the rough draft of the frames." I headed out of the room and turned the corner to go into my own room. Oliver was laying on the bed and tilted his head when I entered. I shut the door behind me, my back leaned against it. The truth of the matter was I didn't want to be with those two anymore today. After hearing their conversation about me and the strange feeling I've been getting since I came here, I needed some time to myself. I crossed the wooden floorboards and sat myself on the futon. Oliver crawled his way over onto my lap and laid his head down on my legs. Looking at me with those big brown eyes of his. I rubbed his black head and smiled at my boy. "Unlike you Olly, I don't want to be taken care of by others for the rest of my life." I sighed.

For the rest of the night, I mostly stayed in my room working out the story and the animation of the two demons. I think I had a story set in place. This was all I had so far; Two demons cross over into our world and possess two unlucky humans. These demons have been fighting each other for centuries and have always found hosts to possess to fight each other every decade or so. Once they find their hosts in the mansion, they possess them and they get into the fight. Both of them are evenly matched at times, and then one seems to have the advantage over the other demon. Eventually, they end up destroying each other at the same time, having the two end in a draw. It's frustrating to the demons because they want to prove whom among them is the best, but because they always end in a draw they can never determine the winner. That's why they continue to fight each other every ten years.

The story is only a rough idea, so I'll add more details to it later. The animation process is a bit more complicated though. So far, the sequences play out like this; the shadows of the demons enter the mansion where the two hosts are and they possess their chosen human. One of the demons takes over a human and the human ends up growing horns on their head. While the other human that is possessed, his ears grow long and pointy and his hands and feet become sharp and long. The demons, now in possession of their human hosts, break down the doors of their rooms and upon seeing each other, start to fight. The demon with the horns blasts the one demon with red energy beams while the demon with the pointy ears uses a green super sonic echo to blast away his enemy. The green demon sneaks away from the red one and tries to use a knife to attack the red one with. But the red demon ends up behind the green on and tries to use the knife against him. However, the green demon is smart enough to use his super sonic echo to fling the two across from the hallway into the living room. The green one jumps off the red one, leaving him in a pile of rubble with a broken horn.

The story is only halfway completed at this point, but to me it seemed like it was going in the right direction. While I may not have had a very good idea of how the fight between the two went that night, I was creative enough to fill in the blanks of the story that took place. I assumed that was how it would have went, but I couldn't guarantee it.

Soon enough, the three of us had Chinese take out for dinner that night while we were watching a movie on the television. I can't remember the name of it, all I knew was that it was about this prostitute who is hired by this rich guy to act as his lover for some reason, and the two end up falling in love. For a B rated movie, I thought it was alright. Kay and Kris told me that we would be getting up early tomorrow so we could go dress shopping at the stores. After helping clean up the kitchen and finishing the movie, I took Oliver with me back to my room getting ready for bed. Though I wasn't tired, I felt like I needed to just lie down and clear my head of the past 24 hours. Once I had gotten my night wear on, I curled up in the bed under the covers and grabbed my journal. I might as well write out my feelings and events, thinking it would help bring me some closure for myself.

" **April 19th, 2018**

" **I've only been here for not even two days and things have been weirder than normal. Last night I dreamt about Markiplier… not in that way though! When I got here, I had received an invitation about a party Markiplier himself was hosting. I know I should have been thrilled to get such an honor, but at the same time I was questioning why someone who has never even met Mark himself in person would get such an invitation. I don't remember there being any contest or some sort of giveaway for his fans, and if there was I certainly took no part in it. I tried to sleep it off, but as I dreamed, I dreamt I had actually went to that mansion the party was taking place. I know I should have stayed here, even though I didn't know it was a dream… I went anyways, and it was actually pretty good. Until Mark got murdered and I not only became a suspect, but a helper in the investigation. It all happened so fast, I was surprised to have reacted the way I did. Until I suddenly woke up and was relieved that it was just a dream.**

" **But it really felt so surreal, like I was really there in that moment and in that time. I tried to forget about it, to move past the dream and get on with the day. But throughout my work, I kept hearing noises and voices… and I had the feeling someone was watching me. Ready to jump out at me from the shadows. I don't know why I'm being so paranoid. I haven't been like this since… the Incident. Maybe it's this fundraiser and the remembrance of my deceased mother and father. It doesn't help the fact that Kris wants me to stay with her and Kay is even debating about it. It's not that I don't like hanging out with my sister's, I love them! But I don't want to stay with them. I'm a grown adult now and it's time I started living my own life. I don't want to be a burden to those around me anymore. But how can I prove that to them if they won't give me a chance? Then again, with how I've been acting lately, maybe I can understand their motives. What has my life come to?"**

I closed my journal, thinking that I had gotten what I needed written down. That and I didn't know what else to say. I set the book on the table next to the futon and laid down on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. For a long while, I stayed awake. I had gotten more than enough sleep last night and though physically my body had some energy, it felt like my brain was on fire from overworking itself between the mind tricks it played on me today and the memory lapses of the dream. I wasn't sure when, but soon my eyelids began to feel heavy and shut themselves over my pupils. Sleep soon took over my being into a blissful slumber.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

I found myself surrounded in darkness, it covered my being like a blanket. I lifted my hand to my face but couldn't even make out the outline of the fingers or palm. I tried to squint, thinking if I looked in a certain direction something would come to me like a beacon of light to guide me out of here. I tried to move, but my feet were glued in place. It wasn't just that though, my whole being stood still as if I was a statute of ice. I even felt cold but I wasn't shivering. I moved my mouth, but no words escaped. No sounds came out, I couldn't speak. Fear was taking over me, and I was getting desperate for some answers.

"I remember…" a chilling voice echoed through the darkness. I darted my eyes in every direction but could not find the source. "I remember now why I abandoned you…" It sounded so close, and yet I didn't know where or who it was coming from. "I closed my eyes for one second and you try to betray me." That voice was deep, cold, and wrapped in terror. "I saw my life flash before my eyes." Strangely enough, it sounded familiar, but I couldn't figure out where I had heard it before. "Oh we will see what we can do."

My breath was caught in my throat as my heart rate sped up. It felt like I was being suffocated, pressure being put onto my neck but no one or thing was the cause of it. My eyes wavered as the terror surrounded me, but I couldn't make out its' form. I felt like I was drowning… drowning in darkness and I couldn't get out.

I shot up in my bed, breathing heavily as I reached up to my forehead to clear away some sweat that formed. I looked around my room, while it was dark, the illumination from the streetlamps outside shone through the blinds to give the room some splashes of color. I checked my phone and saw that it was 12:18 in the morning. ' **Just a nightmare,'** I told my mind as I leaned back against the futon and stared at the ceiling. I couldn't describe the dream, it was so vivid and yet I couldn't make a lick of sense out of it. At least I was able to wake up from it quickly, unlike the last dream. I tried to go back to sleep, to shake off that strange occurance. But my eyes were transfixed on the ceiling above me, unable to fall heavy again. I got up from my mattress and walked through the small room. Oliver perked his head up as I walked out the door, but laid back down because he was the tired one. I walked down the hallway through my sisters' bedroom to the kitchen. There I reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of cold water, drinking half of the bottles' contents. I gasped in relief as the liquid slide its' way down my throat and hit the pits in my stomach. I used my sleeve of my tshirt to get rid of the excess water that remain on my lips. I felt better already as the water settled inside of me. I was heading back to my room, water bottle in hand and going to get some more rest, hopefully. As I neared the door, my eyes glanced down to see some light illuminate under the bathroom door. Now that I thought about it, I did have a strange urge to go to the bathroom. Maybe it was the water I just drinked. I went to the bathroom door and knocked on it gently, waiting for a response. When I didn't get one, I knocked on the door louder.

Reaching for the handle, I turned the knob and opened the door to peak inside the bathroom. But to my surprise, there was no one there. In fact, the light wasn't even on. I turned my head to look at the sink and the mirror that hung above it. There was a crack that had formed in the glass, and it was spreading out like a web. I took a step closer to the reflective square and looked at my fragmented figure in the glass. Light started to shine through the cracks, getting brighter and brighter, blinding me. A scene I had experienced before but on a different end.

?

Once the brightness had died down, I lowered my arms to check out what had happened. I looked around and my heart sank down as I was surrounded with a familiar setting that I was hoping never to see again. I was once again standing in the lavished bathroom of the manor. I looked around frantically and pinched my forearm, but I was still here. "No… no, no no this can't be happening again…" I said to myself as I gripped the marble sink. "I thought I was done with this." My head leaned against the counter, a few strands of lose hairs fell over my face. I looked at myself in the mirror. It wasn't cracked anymore the last time I saw it and I was wearing the same outfit when I came to this manor, even the same hairstyle. "Looks like this nightmare is continuing…" I sighed. So much for forgetting about this whole dream world. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad though…?

Letting go of the sink, I headed out of the bathroom to try and figure out what had happened since I had been… in reality. I only took one step out into the hallway when I heard a whispered nearby. "Hey! Partner! Get over here, now!" I whipped my head to see the Detective peeping around the corner of the hallway, motioning his hand towards himself. Guess the case was still going on. I walked over in my blue high heels towards the man, even though I didn't exactly have the best opinion of him. "Hurry up!" he warned me.

"What's going on?" I was afraid to ask, but curiosity got the better of me.

"You're not gonna believe this; I can barely believe this! The body, it's gone."

"Gone?" I repeated. "What do you mean gone?"

"It's just fucking disappeared. Look!" He lead me back to the parlor where the murder took place. Everything seemed just as it was when I left. In fact, looking at the clock, I was only gone for not even three whole minutes. I never really understood how time worked when you were asleep, or in dreams, but maybe in the dream world time moves faster when you're sleeping and when you're awake it completely stops? Why am I trying to go **Inception** on this whole mess when it was all in my head? Looking back at the crime scene, the tape was still around the area of murder, orange cones scattered around the space as well. But like the Detective had mentioned, the body was gone. In its place was an outline of white tape of the position the body was found in, along with a small detail added to the outline was a very 'suggestive' part that I didn't see why it needed to be added. I stared at the outline, wondering where the living version was. It really was gone, and there wasn't even a trail of blood left behind to tell us where the body had gone. All of this happened while I was awake? Just what the hell was going on?

"WHO DID THIS?" The Detective demanded as he gestured towards the outline of the body. I looked down to the floor and back at him as he turned around to look back at me. "It certainly wasn't me. No, no. Somebody, NOT ME, must have moved it between the time I was the last person alone with the body in the room and then stepped out for a few minutes to take care of some personal business-" he then pointed directly at me as he sternly stated, "that you don't need to know about." It was like this guy knew what I was thinking. I wanted to remark to him that I wanted to know anyways, mostly to get a rise out of him but also to make sure he wasn't behind the body's removal. He certainly was making it hard for me to trust him. "Could have been anybody… expect me." He smiled slyly and pulled down his coat. Again, really not giving me the best profile for his character.

"What the hell happened here?" the two of us turned in the direction the voice had came from. The Butler had entered the room, gesturing down towards the outline of where the body was. He was clearly shocked and disoriented by the scene before him.

"The body's been moved." The Detective answered calmly.

"On its own?"

"No, of course not." The Detective scoffed at the idea at first, then raised his finger in the air as he suddenly got serious. "Unless it did, in which case we've got way bigger problems then a simple murder." Thunder and lightning cracked in the sky once again. I had forgotten that murder or murderer trigger that strange effect around here. You'd think by now they would notice that something about that word was unsettling around here. Well, sure the very definition of it was disturbing but if just summoning the word can cause a lightning and thundering effect, then it would send a red flag.

"What the hell happened here?" it was the Chief who entered the room and pointed to the floor now.

The Butler answered him. "The body's moved."

"On its own?"

"We haven't quite ruled that out just yet, but let's not forget we've got a murderer." The lightning was so common now that it didn't even phase me at this point. I actually wanted to tell the Detective and everyone else around here not to bring up that word again because of the triggering it was bringing. My mouth was opened as I was about to speak, but no words came out. Only a gasped as I was taken aback by a word that rang out through my ear.

"Bully!" I turned around to see the Colonel only a few inches from my face. He was offaly too close for comfort. How did he sneak up behind me like that? I jumped back by his sudden presences, but he was not phased at all. "Quite a storm out there, eh, chaps? What are you doing huddled in here in fear?" He ducked under the tape that was used to seal off the scene of the crime and looked at the other men in the room.

"We have a zombie problem." The Chief stated as he pointed to the floor where Marks body was.

"Ah, Homonecrosis!" The Colonel exasproated as he leaned in towards the Butler. I raised my brow at that word, "homonecrosis". That was definitely something that sounded foreign. But if I had to guess a definition for it, I would most likely guess it had something to do with the reanimation of a human corpse. I'll have to look up that word later just to be sure, but the idea of it was all I cared about at the moment. Now that I thought about it, why was I caring so much about my vocabulary at the moment when something clearly more serious was going on. "The MOST dangerous game." The Colonel continued. "Well, if someone needs to put the old lad down again, I'm well up for the privilege."

His last sentence made me pay closer attention. And I wasn't the only one who found his statement a bit chilling. "What do you mean by 'again', and what do you mean by 'privilege'?" the Detective questioned the safari man.

"I'm just saying, I've got plenty of e-experience on the matter." The Colonel shuddered as he gestured towards the outline of the corpse. Why was he stuttering all of a sudden? Was it because he realized his mistake?

"So do I." The Chief interjected on the matter.

"Yeah, that just raises more questions." Not gonna lie, I agreed with the Detective. Regardless, I had to interject my own opinion on the matter.

"Alright, before we turn this into a real life 'Walking Dead' scenario, we should try to think rationally about the matter. Obviously the body couldn't have moved on its own," the Detective and the Colonel opened their mouths to say something, but I spoke out before they could. "Unless there is an airborne virus that can reanimate a corpse to a flesh eating monster. Or someone here knows how to bring life to a dead person through witchcraft or scientific means." Instantly, their mouths tightened up and I went on with my explanation. "If anything, it was probably Dr. Iplier. He was taking samples of blood from the body to match it up with the broken bottle we found in the wine cellar. If anyone moved the body, it was probably him."

The Detective nodded towards me, agreeing about my idea. He then turned towards the Chief and Butler. "You two, go to his room and see if you can find him or the body. He tampered with a crime scene and that alone is a serious offense." Without a word or any other gesture, the two workers left the parlor, leaving me with the Detective and the Colonel. "Now that we have some alone time, maybe we can ask you a few questions." He glared over at the Colonel, both men were standing on their toes as if to try and appear more bigger than the other.

"If you are trying to interrogate me, your partner over there already asked what happened last night."

"Then you don't mind if I do the asking this time."

I rolled my eyes as they were trying to sound more threatening than the other. I took a step forward and spoke out. "How about this, I'll ask you five questions Colonel. Answer them as honest as you can and I won't bother you unless we have to."

The Colonel turned towards me, at first shocked as if he could not believe my sudden attitude. But, after tugging on his coat, he smiled. "And what are these questions?"

"First question, how do you and Mark know each other?" I began my series of questions. Though the Detective looked as if he didn't understand the point of this, the Colonel seemed more than happy to share.

"I met Mark through an interview. I was interviewing him about his profession of being a YouTuber, as you young lads call them."

"I thought Bim Trimmer was a reporter." I didn't state it as a question, so that didn't count.

"He is," Colonel shrugged, "but he was out doing another report that day. I was around when he saw me and asked me to host the interview in his place. I didn't have any plans that day so I figured, why not? Afterwards, Mark and I kept meeting each other often and a friendship was formed. For a while, at least."

"You said Bim asked you to do the interview, are you as close with him and the others here as you are with Mark?"

"Well, we all met each other one way or another. I met Bim when he was interviewing me about a recent hunt I went on. I met Ed and the Host through Bim. The Doctor has been my recommendation for my medication for years."

"Medication?" I repeated. Was the Colonel on something, like pills? Now that I thought about it, that would explain a few things.

"Yes, vaccines for when I go out on my hunts in other countries. I live for danger, but if my body isn't in peak condition than I can't enjoy the hunts."

"What exactly do you do for a living?"

The Colonel smiled, as if he was pleased I was taking an interest in his work. "I am a safari hunter! I get paid to hunt down certain animals. Legally of course, I would never get involved in shady businesses, I assure you." Somehow, I didn't buy the last part. He seemed like the guy that would be looking for those types of deals. I had to think carefully about the last question I would ask him. What could I ask him that wouldn't sound too personal, but would give me enough information about his connection with the case? Something that had to do with his relationship with Mark. He mentioned about being a safari hunter… and about not doing anything black market related.

"Alright then… final question, has Mark ever helped you in any of your hunts or became a client for you?"

The Colonel didn't answer right away. But he didn't keep his eyes off of me either. It was as if he knew what I was trying to ask him, and he was trying to find the best answer. The hairs that made up his mustache on his lips were raised as he smiled. "Mark has requested that I hunt certain species for his manor for a very large sum of cash. He has been one of my best clients, but after I gave him what he wanted he no longer needed me."

It wasn't exactly the answer I was hoping for, but it was something that might help out the case.

"Unhand me right this instant!" the Colonel, the Detective and I turned to see the Chief and Butler dragging in Dr. Iplier. The Doctor struggled out of their grip as they joined us in the room.

"Glad that you're able to join us, Doctor." the Detective walked up to the medic, swaying his hips as his hands were on them. "I'm sure you'd be more than happy to tell us how your investigation with the corpse is going!"

"Did you really have to drag me out from my work to discuss Mark's body with me?" the Doctor sounded very displeased, I couldn't blame him. But we had to be sure that he didn't move the body. And if he did, we needed to find out where it was.

"We're sorry to have these guys drag you out here, but the body is gone." I explained to him in a sophisticated manner. The Doctor turned his head to see the body of the outline and gaped at it.

"Where is it?!"

"That's what we're trying to figure out." I told him. "You were taking samples from the body so I assumed you must have taken it to your room for a closer analysis."

The Doctor turned his head back to me. "Yes, I was taking sample of his blood to test it with the blood on the broken bottle. But I was not the one that moved the body!"

"And why should we believe you?" the Detective glared at the Doctor.

"Because I'm a Doctor, and I know that messing with a body after death could result in complications for the autopsy. I only collected a blood sample from the corpse from the forearm and went back to my room to run the tests. I haven't been anywhere near the body after that."

I may have only taken a semester of Forensics, but one of the things we went over for our first lessons was how to tell if someone was lying. The Doctor was keeping straight eye contact with us, none of his body parts were gittering and he spoke in a clear tone with no stutters. To me, he was telling the truth, but I doubt anyone would believe him based on my opinion alone. Still, I had to try to move the situation in a direction that would actually help solve this case. "Were you able to conclude your results?"

The Doctor and Detective looked over at me for a moment. Everyone else had eyes on the medic as he looked through his cream colored folder he brought with him. "I was actually going to try and find you or the Detective to tell you about that before the Help decided to drag me like a ragdoll." He glared over at the Butler and Chief, but only the Butler seemed intimidated by the eyes of the Doctor. The Chief just shrugged at him. Taking out some papers, the Doc continued with his statement. "It wasn't easy, but the tests have shown that the blood that was on the broken wine bottle belonged to Mark himself."

Everyone in the room expect me gasped at the discovery. "So, that was the weapon that killed him." I stated.

Dr. Iplier nodded. "And that explains why there were so many cuts, the edges were sharp but one stab alone would not immediately kill him. It must have been a slow and agonizing death."

"But that still doesn't answer who moved the body." The Butler pointed out. We all turned back to look at the outline where the body once was. While we were able to figure out the murder weapon, another mystery had sprung up while I was away. I was beginning to wonder if my anxiety was affecting the passage of this dream. If I could still call it that.

I looked over at the Butler. "I think we should primarily focus on trying to find the killer. As for the body, we all need to keep our eyes open for it. While there probably isn't anymore evidence we can gather from it, clearly someone moved it because they thought we would find more."

"And whoever moved it might just be our murderer." The Detective added as a roar of lightning followed.

"Well, I'm off to the grounds to see if I can catch a whiff of the old bag of bones, eh?" the Colonel laughed as he began to head out of the room.

"Wait, weren't you and Mark the same age?" the Butler questioned, but the Colonel was laughing so loudly, he couldn't hear. His laughter was soon followed up by a coughing fit as he left our sight. I turned over to the Detective, knowing he was going to have some input on the scene.

"All right, I don't trust him. Then again I don't trust anyone."

"You and me both." I agreed with him and glanced back to see the Butler and Chief raising their hands in a defensive manner. "Looks like we really can't let anyone leave the grounds at this point."

"Agreed. Alright, lock this place down. Secure the front gate. I don't want anyone in or out of this place until we get to the bottom of this."

"Locks won't keep people from getting out, sir." The Butler pointed out.

"Locks won't, but Chief will." The cook stated as he walked out of the room as well.

"Just make sure to keep a close eye on everyone's activities." I told the Butler. "If we do catch anyone leaving the grounds, we have reason to suspect them as the killer." He nodded and went off.

"Good point," the Detective winked at me. He then turned around to the body outline and was examining it. "I still don't understand."

"What do you mean?" I walked up to the Detective and looked at the scene before us.

"I get why someone would want to move the body, to get rid of the evidence the corpse might have left behind. But, it's strange. There's no drag marks or smudges of blood on the floor to indicate where the body was being dragged to." I looked at the ground all over the room now and realized that he was right. If Mark had been stabbed, and blood seeped out of the wounds then there should have at least been some blood trail.

I looked over at the Detective, wanting to know some answers on his part. "You said you stepped out and came back later. How long were you outside?"

"About three minutes, give or take." He shrugged. For a Detective, he sure was acting like a rookie.

"Three minutes wouldn't be enough time to drag the body and clean up the mess then." I noted more to myself. "They could have just carried the body though, but they would have to have been strong."

"Not necessarily," Dr. Iplier interjected as he was looking over the scene with us. "Based on the amount of blood he lost, he would been a few pounds lighter and seeing as how he wouldn't have put up a struggle, it would only make the body easier to transport."

I nodded slightly, understanding the concept. I looked over at the outline, my eyes for some reason, noticing a small part of the outline that was between the legs. I eyes it for a moment and blinked. "Huh…"

"What is it?" the Detective asked, as if I had spotted something of importance.

"Nothing, it's just… I thought it would be bigger…"

The two of them looked to where my eyes were and the Detective defended himself. "I was in a rush and the robe made it difficult."

"Was that part really necessary?" Dr. Iplier questioned.

"I had to get all of the body outline. I'm sure if Mark would have known he would have died, he'd probably wore pants."

I was becoming more uncomfortable as the conversation of this topic was escalating quicker than I thought. I blamed myself for having no filter sometimes. Changing the subject, I looked over at the Doctor and asked him, "By the way, were you able to figure out what kind of alcohol the bottle contained?"

"Ah yes, that took me a while to piece together. But I was able to read the label of the bottle."

"What was it?" I asked him.

"The beverage was of a variety called Palm Wine. Created from the sap of various species of palm trees like date palms and coconut palms. It's mostly common in parts of Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and South America. Interesting fact, while the brand is called Palm Wine, the liquid itself is actually that of a white substance. Almost looking like rubbery, white sap." The Doctor explained.

"So, chances are whoever had that to drink last night is who we're interested in."

"I'd say it's the best lead we've got." The Doctor agreed.

"Everyone was mostly drinking here, in the party room." I gestured around the whole area. "But everything is all cleaned up now, so I doubt we'll be able to find much now."

"The Butler was the one distributing the drinks last night, correct? So perhaps he might know who had what to drink last night." The Doctor suggested.

"He might be the one to tell us who the murderer was!" a flash of lightning crossed the sky as the Detective came to that realization. He turned to me, face becoming serious. "Alright partner, you go and find the Butler and get the layout of the drinks. I'll stay here with the Doc to make sure the scene doesn't get tampered with any further. And don't you worry, I will not leave this room for a second." He promised me, a promise I was sure he would break. But at least with the Doctor here, we would have an extra set of eyes. Chances are whoever moved the body might come back to make sure their tracks were covered. That was probably the idea the Detective was getting at. I turned on my heels and made my way towards the divider of this room connecting with the hallway. I wasn't even a foot out into the decorative hall when I bumped into a moving figure.I stared up to see a business suit followed by glasses.

It took me a moment to recognize who it was. "Bim Trimmer?"

"Nice to see you again, Miss Leer. We haven't crossed paths since last night." Bim nudged me with his hand that was holding a microphone while his other was lugging around a heavy camcorder.

"And what do you think you're doing?" the Detective questioned the man as he eyed his equipment.

Bim looked out towards the room we were in and held the microphone close to his chin and against his chest. "I heard that a murder had taken place here-" another roar of lightning and thunder mingled in the sky, "-Mark was killed, correct?"

I stepped forward before the Detective could interject. "Yes, we're not sure who killed him, but we're doing everything we can to find the answers." I talked seriously, but also concerned knowing that his friend was gone.

"And the body is gone, correct? That is why I'm here!" He held up his camcorder.

"You're not planning on broadcasting this are you?" I raised a brow about the very idea.

"Absolutely not!" the Detective protested. "We already have enough on our plate, the last thing we need is you meddling in this business that is not yours."

Bim looked offended on more than one level. "How dare you! I have every reason to report this, I'm not only a game show host, but a reporter for local news! Not to mention Mark was my friend! If he wanted anyone to get the details, it would be me! I'm doing this not only for my career, but for Mark."

"I don't care if you were his lover, you are not going anywhere near this crime scene until we find the culprit!"

I didn't blame the Detective for his defensiveness. I kind of agreed that we shouldn't be letting anyone else near this scene in case the true perpetrator were to take something else from the scene. But I can also see Bim's side of the story. Being a reporter, it was natural for him to be curious of all that happened here. He would most likely be the only one to gather the evidence we need. But he hasn't been around lately, I haven't seen him all morning now that I thought about it. So he was in the dark just as much as we all were. I didn't want to tell him he couldn't, it really wasn't my place. But at the same time, I couldn't tell the Detective to let him on the premise either. I had to get Bim away from the scene long enough for me to find the Butler and figure out who dranked what last night.

"Bim, have you seen Ed?" I asked. I know I was going to regret saying what I was going to ask next, but it was the only thing I could think of at the time. "I wanted to… ask him about his Baby Buy Bulk company."

Bim turned his attention towards me, his determined exterior became that of a confused expression. "N-no… now that I think about it, I haven't seen him at all since last night. I thought he was still in his room but it's empty."

"He's probably walking around the house." I suggested.

"With a murderer on the loose?" the Detective question with a flash of lightning.

"Unless he is the murderer-" the Doctor spoke up as thunder roared. "-he should have nothing to worry about."

"Maybe you should go find him, Bim." I suggested. "And ask him to come find me so we can discuss more about his… business." My teeth clenched as I uttered the last word.

Bim looked over at the scene again, and though a look of disappointment crossed his face, he gave in with a defeated sigh and walked off down the hallway until he was out of sight. At least that was one problem solved for now. I turned back to the Detective. "I'll go look for the Butler and ask him about the drinks. If Bim comes back, do what you feel is necessary."

"Honestly, you might as well let him do what he wants." The two of us looked to see the Doctor talking while his eyes were glued to the body outline. "He's going to find some way to get this report. And this will be made to the public soon enough, so why prolong the inevitable." It wasn't a question, because he had a point. But me and the Detective both knew that we shouldn't tell the world about Mark's death until we caught the one that committed it. I didn't say anything else as I walked down the hallway to navigate myself.

I self-hugged myself while making my way down the long and winding corridors to locate the Butler. As I pressed forward, my mind raced with dreaded thoughts revolving around the situation. I thought back to what the Doctor had said, about the public knowing about Mark and his death. I could envision the many faces of his fans sobbing out their contempt for him. How those with YouTube accounts will most likely make a video about the whole thing and how they will still be loyal to him and his channel. Maybe even give a speech about how good of a human being he was. It would be on the news only for a few days, maybe a week at the longest because even though the internet is a widely known thing, not many people fully understand the concept of being a YouTuber. Heck, Mark was only on the news once, from what I remember. I never really watched the news that often, so I couldn't be too sure. And his family; his mother and brother. How they would be devastated to learn that their son and brother died so young and would either think how he either wasted his life or lived long enough to make himself known to many and be an inspiration. Not to mention Teamiplier, when they find out their leader had been killed and…

I was shown mental images of Markiplier, who was hanging out with a beautiful blonde woman with fair skin and a wide but kind smile, matching with his own. I stopped in my tracks as I remembered Mark's girlfriend… Amy. Who was known as Peeples on her Instagram account and was also part of the Teamiplier family. Did she ever know about Marks' lack of motivation? And how upset would she be knowing that her boyfriend, the one that made her smile was just suddenly gone? Would she be just as distraught as Damien? More importantly, how would the Markiplier community function after this announcement?

I bit my lower lip, there was no way this was going to be a secret for long. Soon enough, word will get out and only through tears and time will this be another tragedy that will be lost in the sands of the media and YouTube itself. I tried to shake my mind off of it, to not worry about that now. I wasn't going to be the one delivering the news, but I was the first fan to know about this without a notification. I looked straight ahead and kept going, forcing my feet in the direction. My goal now was to locate the Butler and ask him about the drinks last night. I looked around the large mansion, paying closer attention to the details of this place. As if something would soon be out of place. My search soon brought me to a small room of the corner of the large living room that held the wine cellar. I peeked in to see the Butler leaning forward towards a bunch of monitors and clicking at a few buttons on a control panel. I stood there for a minute, waiting for him to finish what he was doing. When he laid eyes on me, he straightened himself up and walked over to the door.

"Miss Leer, is everything alright? Have you found the body yet?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "No, we haven't. The Doctor told me that the bottle that was used to kill Mark was holding Palm Wine."

His eyes widened at the statement. "So… that means-"

"The one who killed Markiplier must be the one who was drinking Palm Wine last night. Or at the very least, stole some from the cellar." The Butler took a step back and held his forehead with one of his gloved hands. No doubt he must have known who the culprit really was. I took a deep breath and went on. "Dr. Iplier said that you were distributing the drinks last night. Do you think you can remember who had what to drink last night?"

"I… I believe so." He tried to sound confident, but it was the fear that was making his voice shake and quiver. "Last night, right before the games began, I handed everyone a glass of champagne, expect for me and the Chief. We were told not to drink that night because our Master told us it would affect our work." I nodded, listening to him. I remember him giving me a drink of the alcohol before I dumped its' contents into a potted plant. For someone who gives out alcohol, he sure doesn't find time to drink any himself. "I started to hand out different types of drinks during the poker games. There were a variety of assortments from beer, wine, rum, more champagne…"

"Who had what to drink last night?" I pressed on gently, but demanding to get to the point.

The Butlers' eyes were moving so fast across the floor, tension in the room rising mostly from him. "T-the Detective drank mostly beer… Master had a glass or two of champagne. I-I think… Y-you didn't have anything other than the one glass I gave you and the seltzer this morning…" He looked up at me as he said the last sentence. I should have told him I didn't drink those two beverages, but I didn't think it was important so I nodded again. "T-The Colonel!" His face lite up at the name. "The Colonel and Mr. Edgar dranked something but I don't remember what it was off the top of my head."

That was a problem. I thought for a moment, trying to find a way to jog his memory back. That was when the Doctor's words came to my mind about the wine itself. "Can you tell me what their drinks looked like? What color was the Colonel's and Edgar's drink?"

The suspense of waiting for his answer was slowly driving me crazy, but he was clearly trying to remember. His eyes were transfixed on one spot of the floor this time and he said, "I-it looked like white sap… it was so cloudy and thick looking…"

My eyes lite up at the answer. That must have been the Palm Wine from the bottle! Meaning that either the Colonel or Ed himself were the likely suspects. I thanked the Butler for his answers and immediately headed out of the room to make my way back to the parlor. Dragging up my dress so I wouldn't trip over it as I hurried down the corridors. I didn't know why I was so excited, I would most likely run into the one who murdered Mark and would try to do the same to me. Yet, at the same time, I had a strong feeling that this case was coming to a close. All I had to do, was tell the Detective about my findings and we would go to question the Colonel or Ed. One of those two must be the murderer, and if not they hold the key to finding out what happened to Mark last night. I turned around the corner and made it to where the crime scene was. I stopped and leaned against the frame of the wall to fill my lungs with air.

"Partner!" the Detective walked up to me as I had nearly gotten my breath back. "How did it go?"

I took one long gasp of air and smiled at him. "T-the Colonel and… Ed Edgar were the only two… thank dranked the Palm Wine last night…" I told him in between breaths.

He nodded at me with a stern expression. Patting me on the shoulder, he complimented me. "Good work, Partner. You're becoming a fine crime-solver." For once, he said something that actually made me feel proud of myself. Letting his hand go of my shoulder, he placed it on his hips and went on. "Alright, looks like we're going to have to find those two and question them. It won't be easy, especially the Colonel. He'll most likely be the hardest to get. But Ed Edgar shouldn't be a problem."

"Do you want me to go look for them?" I asked.

"No, in case either of them are the murderer-" the Detective was once again interrupted by the flash of the lightning outside. "-I don't want to chance it and lose you. Doc, can you handle this scene and make sure no one enters here?"

"Clearly you won't give me a choice in the matter." The Doctor stated without looking up at him.

Not giving him an actual answer, the Detetive walked around the scene as I followed behind. "Looks like we're going to have to track down those two. The Colonel said he was going to the grounds, so we should see if we can find him in the garden." I nodded, agreeing with his course of action. We were heading down a smaller hallway, one where the cinema room was being held. This place was bigger than I thought that it was hard for me to keep track of a mental map. I would let the Detective be my guide and hoped we would get to the right place. I slowed down a bit because of the fast walking I did earlier, my lungs were not completely full of air yet. I took a few whiffs of breath to regain my breathing. As I inhaled the air around me, a strange taste entered my nose. I paused where I was and took a deeper and longer sniff in the air, tasting the metallic scent. I didn't notice this taste the last time I was down this hall. I looked around, to try and find the source of the smell. I only took a few steps forward when the carpet under my heel made an uncomfortable squishy sound. I looked down where I had stopped and noticed that the one patch of carpet was a darker shade than the rest of the hall. And this was where the smell was coming from. I didn't like the situation.

I looked up from the floor to see a small wooden door literally facing me. I swallowed, my nerves reaching high anxiety. Part of me knew that I shouldn't have opened it because of fear of what may have been hiding behind the barrier. But there was something there that needed to be discovered and I thought it would help in the investigation. It did, but not in the way I wanted it to go. I reached for the handle of the narrow door and flung the door open, like ripping off a band-aid it would hurt less to just tear it off quickly with only a slight sting. A loud thud and a figure appeared from the small closet. There wasn't something that was being held up in that space, but someone! And that someone was Ed Edgar!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

My body backed up against the wall as my eyes were glued to the one before me. The lifeless figure collapsed on the floor after I had opened the door. I covered my mouth with my hand, resisting the urge to scream and throw up. I could feel my eyes wavering in my sockets as I forced myself to look at the body of this business owner. For a moment, it felt like I was stuck in a timeless space where everything was passing by around me, yet I remained still like a statue.

It was only through the voice of the Detective that had awoken me from this trance. "Partner, why are you… HOLY HELL!" I whipped my head to face him as his eyes landed on the body I had seen. He was stunned but got closer to get a better close up. He turned back to me as quick as a flash and demanded to know what had happened. "What the hell happened?!" He pointed to the new corpse as he didn't take his eyes off of me. I looked back down at the body, only for a moment before I looked back at the Detective. I'd rather had faced his enraged and stardled features than the second tragedy that plagued this mansion. I swallowed the dryness in my mouth as I tried to keep my voice steady but failed.

"I...I smelt something in this hallway w-while we were walking. I noticed the wetness on the carpet and saw t-the closet. I-I opened it t-to find…" I self-hugged myself as I tried to explain to him about the situation.

"Jesus Christ…" The Detective muttered, looking back at the body.

Footsteps caught my ears and I turned to see the Butler walking up to us. "What is going on?"

"Butler, go and get the Doctor." The Detective ordered without even looking to meet the man's' gaze.

Though the Butler was confused, he didn't question why or look at the scene. He only turned slowly and walked back to the parlor where Dr. Iplier was. I watched him go, wanting to see anything else other than the body before me. Though the Detective wasted no time in sealing off this area by sticking the tape to make a small square area in the hallway. I was caught inside the tape when he made the crime scene blocked off. "Well, we found a body," the Detective noted bitterly, "just not the body we were looking for."

I didn't even look at him as he said that, my eyes were anywhere but where he and the body were. I already had to see one dead person in this nightmare realm, I didn't want to see another so quickly. I soon saw the Doctor coming towards us with the Butler by his side. "Well, thanks for asking me to follow you this time instead of dragging me by my feet." The Doctor looked over at the Butler, holding a grudge. I watched as the Detective left the body for a moment and went to Dr. Iplier.

"Good of you to join us Doctor, we have a body for you to inspect."

"You found Marks' corpse?" Dr. Iplier sounded shocked.

"No," the Detective stated bluntly, "we have a new victim." He showed the Doctor the body of Ed Edgar. I could hear the horror in his voice as he gasped at the scene.

"Oh Ed…"

The Butler, now knowing of the situation, looked away like I did and rubbed his arm uncomfortably. "Now there has been another death in this manor. As if the murder of my Master was not bad enough already." He choked as the lightning and thunder sounded outside.

"Can you diagnose what happened to him?" the Detective asked the Doctor.

Without so much as a word, Dr. Iplier went straight to work. Putting on a pair of blue gloves from his pocket, he went to work pulling back Eds' clothes and looking at part of the body to tell how he died. While that was going on, I took a glance over at the Butler. He was staring at the ground while warming up his left arm with his right. He must have noticed I was staring at him for his eyes soon met mine. We both had a look of fear and dread in our features. We felt bad for one another, he felt bad because I was a guest here that had gotten caught up in the middle of this murder mystery party. And I felt bad for him because he was part of this game when he was just doing his job. Our eyes soon turned away from each other, but our uneasiness still stood in our being.

I soon gain the courage to walk closer to the body as the Doctor was checking out Ed Edgars' head. "Anything yet, Doctor?" the Detective questions as he was transfixed on the work being done to the corpse.

"Well, if I had to pin a cause of death, I would most likely say that he was beaten to death." Pulling back some of the hair from the scalp, the Doctor showed us a large red mark on the back of Eds' head that was larger than a tennis ball. "He was struck at the back of the head, causing him blunt force trauma and bled out."

I looked back at the patch of the darker carpet that led me to the closet. "That would explain the smell and the wetness in the carpet." I turned back to look at the Detective and Doctor who looked at me and I knew what they knew I was getting at. "How long has he been…"

"Based on the temperature and the wetness of the blood, five hours. Judging by the amount of blood and size of the wound, whoever did this must have been very strong and used a heavy object." The Doctor noted.

"Can you tell what murder weapon they used?" I asked.

"That won't be as simple as trying to find out what sharp object was used to murder Mark." Dr. Iplier looked around as the room flashed from the lightning outside. "But, probably an object of a heavy metal, if I had to guess. I can gather my supplies and do a further analysis on the corpse."

"You do that," the Detective helped Dr. Iplier up from the spot and watched as he left to get his things. "Butler," he turned towards the man in the tux. "You and I will stay here with the body until the Doctor comes back. After what happened to the last body, we can't take any chances."

"What can I do?" I asked, my voice becoming a bit higher as I grew more nervous. I mostly wanted to leave the room because of the corpse. So anything the Detective would have had me done was fine with me. So long as I was nowhere near this hallway.

"Like the Doctor stated," the Detective looked at me while he talked, "someone used some sort of object to kill this man. And chances are, if this crime took place recently, then the object must be nearby. With any luck, it will have traces of the man's' blood on it. You need to get out there and see if you can find it."

"It would help if I knew what I was looking for exactly…" I muttered the last bit while staring at the ground again.

"Just look for any solid object heavy enough to use to beat the horseshit out of someone." He told me. Yeah, because that helped. However, I nodded slightly and made my way out of the hallway, beginning my search. I knew it was a wild goose chase from the start as I walked along. There was bound to be a number of objects in one room alone in this large mansion that could be used to beat anyone to the point of death. But I just had to get out of that situation before I had a panic attack. As I walked, I cleared my head about Eds' body. Sure, maybe I didn't understand his business or agree with it to a certain level, but that didn't mean he should have died. A sudden thought crossed my mind as I was standing in the parlor where the first crime took place. I glanced over at the spot where Marks' body once was and the realization hit me. What if the one that had killed Ed was the same person who killed Mark?! Was that possible? If they could get away with killing one person, what was stopping them from killing another? Then that meant that this wasn't just some revenge scheme against Mark. Whoever was behind this must be after others that were in this mansion. And something told me that I could potentially be the next victim. I shuddered just thinking about running into the killer and meeting my untimely death.

My feet soon brought me back to the kitchen. I looked around the room, not much had changed. The strange miniature Chief was still sitting on the counter, staring at me. I shifted my feet as far from it as possible. Looking around, the real Chief was nowhere to be seen. Much like how he disappeared after I watched that security tape. That reminded me, I still needed to talk to the Detective about what I saw. But that would have to wait until I at least tried to find what I was looking for. The Doctor said that Ed was killed by some blunt object and it took a strong arm to make that kind of dent in the back of his head. I couldn't think of any kitchen utensils that could be used to cause that kind of head injury, but it was a start. I began searching through the kitchen for any kind of clue. I opened a drawer to see sets of knives that were sharp for cutting thick slabs of meat to soft edges that were more for spreading butter or jam onto food. "Well, at least if things go south, I know where to go to try and defend myself." Saying out loud sounded weird, yet it did comfort me. Even though I didn't know how to properly defend myself, I'd rather have something to use so I wasn't completely at a disadvantage. I shut the drawer up and looked at a cupboard high above me, seeing shelves of fine china plates and clear crystal glasses. "I doubt any of those would have caused the wound Ed has." I closed the cupboard doors and spotted a small holding pot that held a bunch of large spoons and ladles. I reached over and picked one up, tossing it in my hand while looking at the silver coat it had on. My lips drew to one side of my face as I thought about the ladle being used. '"Don't think this is the murder weapon used to kill Ed. It doesn't seem strong enough to cause death, no matter how strong the arm was. Maybe this is all just a waste of time. It's not like I'll be able to find anything unless I know what I'm exactly looking for." I sighed to myself while clutching onto the utensil in my hand. I felt like I was losing motivation. I just wanted this to be over before someone else ended up dying right in front of me.

"What do you think you're doing, little missy?" I jumped upon hearing that edgy voice. I turned around and saw the Chief looking at me with those beady eyes. He was not happy to see me. I took a step back, which was not a good move on my part. My breath was caught in my throat. Where did he come from and how long had he been standing there? His hand outstretched towards me, and I thought he was going to hurt me for a moment. But he forcefully grabbed the ladle from my hand and raised it up to my face. "Just what do you think you planned on doing with my tools in my kitchen? Huh!?"

"I-I…" my voice came out raspy at first. I was able to form some sentences but they were stuttered. "T-the Detective w-wanted me t-to look for a b-blunt object that w-was used to k-kill Ed Edgar."

"What?!" the Chief and I turned our attention to the new voice that entered the room. It was Bim, a look of shock on his face as he was holding a folder against his chest. "E-Ed's dead?!" I didn't answer him directly, but the sorrow in my eyes told him the truth as he walked up to me. Both the Chief and Reporter surrounded me. One with curiosity and the other with hatred. "What happened to him? Where is he?! Do you know who done it?! Was it the same person that killed Mark?!"

I backed up further against the wall, trying to make myself smaller so I could disappear in my own self. He was asking me so many questions that I didn't know the answer to. I was breathing irregularly, feeling the anxiety in myself rising up at an alarming rate. I couldn't handle the pressure Bim was giving me. I couldn't answer his questions! I didn't even know the answer.

"You know, when you first walked in through the door last night, I knew something wasn't right about you." I looked over at the Chief as he stared down at me and threw venomous words my way. "You may be helping that Dick out with his investigation, but I find it weird how you were the first one to discover both Marks' and Eds' body! If you ask me, I think you might be the reason behind these deaths. Maybe you're a curse on this manor, and the longer you stay around the more will die!" I held my fist close to my chest. How could he say such things?! To a guest no less! Sure, I was the first person to discover both corpses. And by coming back here, this whole series is still going. But I wasn't the cause of the deaths! I knew I wasn't! But he doesn't think that and him saying those words only added to my stress. Tears were forming at the corners of my eyes as my breaths became more shallow. My anxiety was reaching its' climax. I wanted to leave, but they were blocking me. I felt like I was going to break down right then and there and in front of them.

"What is the meaning of all of this?!" I looked up as that familiar voice ranged out. Damien was looking at the three of us, shock portrayed on his face. He walked towards me and stood right in front of me. "What do you think you two were doing?! Ganging up on a lady is in no way to treat them!"

"We weren't ganging up on her! I was asking her questions about the recent murder." Bim defended himself while another round of lightning and thunder went off. "The Chief here was the one that was spitting out nonsense at her!"

"I was just telling her how much trouble she's been causing since she first came here. I can't be the only one who thinks that she's connected to all of-"

"That is quite enough!" Damien practically barked at the Chief, causing both him and Bim to take a step back. Even I was a bit intimidated by his sudden anger. But I was already on the verge of tears, so that didn't help. "Throwing such hatred towards someone that is just another victim in this will get us nowhere. And it certainly doesn't make either of you look good!" The Chief looked away from Damien and Bim hugged the folders to his chest closer. Damien turned slightly and grabbed my wrist in his hand. I was startled, but I allowed him to drag me through the kitchen, into the dining room and out onto the stone area around the mansion. When we had reached the railing that overlooked the view of the small town and the forest around us, Damien released my hand, allowing me to raise it to my chest and rub the skin with my other hand. He turned towards me, concern written on his face. "Are you alright?"

It took me a minute to realize he was talking to me. I nodded slowly, still rubbing the skin on my wrist. I heard him take a step closer to me. I looked up, seeing how close he was to me. I was taken off guard and was frozen. "You're crying." He noted. I quickly whipped my head away from him, wiping away the waters in my eyes.

"I-I'm… I'm sorry…" I tried my best to wipe away the tears, and to regain the composure in my voice. But I was failing badly. He then grabbed ahold of my wrists and looked me straight into his brown eyes. It was the first time I've realized how much his eyes looked like Marks'.

"You have no reason to apologize. They overstepped their line and it made you upset."

His words should have helped calm me, but instead they made me feel worse. "But what if they're right?! I-I mean, I didn't kill Mark, I could never! But all of this stuff that's been going on. Mark's body is gone, now Ed is dead and everyone seems to be against me! GOD, WHERE DOES IT END?!" I sat myself on the stoned railing and titled my head to look up at the cloudy sky. I could have sworn that it was clear the last time I was here. Then again, this was all just some dream. I didn't care what or where I was anymore. It didn't change the fact that I was in this very situation. I soon felt a hand rest upon my shoulder, a strong but comforting one. I looked over to my right to see Damien smiling at me. It was a weary smile, but he was trying to make me feel better.

"Tell me everything that has happened." He begged me. I took in a deep breath, knowing that explaining what has happened would not be easy. He would most likely be just as upset as I was. Still, as I looked into those doe brown eyes or his, I somehow found the courage to tell him. I left out about the whole waking up part, mostly because he probably wouldn't understand. I told him after we last talked, I went to the bathroom to freshen up. Then the Detective came in to tell me that Marks' body had disappeared and the clues we found that might bring us closer to the murderer. I told him about the drinks the Colonel and Ed had last night and how I discovered Eds' body in the closet. So I was looking around to try and find the object that killed him, and that was when the Chief and Bim Trimmer came in to question me.

Damien was taking this information in as he looked out to the world himself. He didn't really know how to perceive this, I didn't blame him. "I… I don't know what to say. Ed is really dead?!" I only gave a small nod. "And you and the Detective believe that the one that killed Mark also killed him?"

"At this point, it's the most logical conclusion we can make." I shrugged. "If that's the case, then Mark wasn't the main target. Everyone here could be looking at their untimely death."

"So that means whoever is killing us off… must have some personal goal in mind. Not against Mark, but all of us." Damien noted.

The fear in his voice was rising. I could tell he was imagining himself coming face to face with the killer and being the next target. As much as I hated to admit it, he probably was going to be next on the murderers' hit list. "I can't promise there won't be anymore deaths," I told him with blunt honesty. "But," I went on, "I will promise to do my best and bring the killer to justice. I don't know how, but I'd rather help out in any way I can to further this investigation than let it grow cold as the killer gets off scot free."

Damien looked over at me, a small smile crossed his features again. I smiled back at him. For a brief moment, it was a bliss and peaceful exchange between the two of us. Then, his features grew serious and he looked down at the cane he held in his hand. Clenching the black handle so tight that his knuckles began to turn white. "Miss Leer…"

"Damien, you may call me Cosmo." I told him gently. He looked over at me, confused now. I assured him with a gentle smile. "You're my friend, and my friends get to call me Cosmo."

"You… think of me as a friend?" he sounded touched but I could hear the uneasiness in his voice.

"Well, between everyone else here, you're pretty much the only person that hasn't accused me. And you're the only one I can trust." I answered honestly.

Damien licked his lips as he grew nervous. "Tell me… Cosmo, what makes you believe that I am not the killer?"

"You can't be!" I stated in a defensive tone. "You're the only one that seems the most upset about this matter. Besides, you don't have a motive to kill Mark or Ed." I knew I was bais, and I regret it now. But his dashing looks and his kind manners made me want to believe that he couldn't have even been a suspect. I wasn't a people person, I thought I could read someone like a book. But every now and again you always have to re-read the story and look in between the lines to know the hidden messages they hide. "I'm willing to stake my life on your innocence." I told him.

While it didn't seem to have looked like it cheered him up, Damien took his turn on his thoughts about the matter. "Cosmo, there's something that I would… very much like to discuss with you." I nodded, letting him know I gained his interest. "Now," he went on, "I know you've been assisting our… intrepid Detective with his investigation, but… I have to bring some concerns of mine to the forefront."  
"Such as?"

"If we look at this situation logically, we can only assume that the killer who struck down our dear friends Mark and Ed was with us last night."

I nodded at his statement. "Like the Detective stated, everyone is pretty much a suspect. At this point, it's guilty until proven innocent."

Damien went on. "While I would stake my life on the innocence of the Colonel or yourself can we really say the same of our beloved Detective?"

Now that made me jump slightly. "H-hold on! Are you trying to say that the Detective might have reason to off Mark and Ed?"

Damien quickly interjected. "I'm not saying he's the killer, but I do not necessarily trust him or his… skills in his department."

I bit the inside of my cheek. Sure, the Detective may not have been the best one I've seen compared to those in the movies or shows. But this was… well, this was my dream. And I guess my mind was projecting some comic relief Detective to play the part. There were those kinds of Detective in programs, but I would have thought my brain would have come up with a better version. "I can't argue with you that his detective work is… unprofessional. But I'm not a cop or a detective myself, so I don't know how they fully operate. But I do know that I seem to be doing a lot more work on the field than he has." That part was true. "But it can't be him. He's trying to help solve the case, why would he want to kill Mark? Or even Ed for that matter?"

Damien shrugged. "Like I said, I do not truly believe that he killed them. I only said that I do not fully trust him. I believe there is something he is not telling us. Something that might tell us who the true killer is."

His words instantly reminded me of the tape I saw of Mark talking with the Detective before I woke up. He called the Detective Mick… and mentioned that the Butler's name was Tyler. About Teamiplier, being an actor and a project. I wanted to tell Damien about what I saw, but I don't think he would understand. I barely understood what it meant. What I knew was, I was going to bring that up the next time I saw that Detective. He may have been the one doing the questioning, but now it was his turn to be interrogated. "Or worse yet," Damien suddenly talked again, bringing me back to the conversation. "mayhaps our countin skills aren't as good as we assume them to be."

"What does that mean?" I asked, not liking where he was going with this.

"Mayhaps… in the shadows of this manor," he pointed to the whole mansion, "unseen to any of us, lay hidden… a murderer." I looked up at the sky as thunder and lightning collided once again. This time, I got a clear visual of the work of Mother Nature. I turned back to Damien, his face grayed and bleak.

"So… you think there could be someone else in the house that we don't know about? That is the true killer?"

"That is my best guess," he sighed. "If that is true, then we will be in much danger than we anticipated." He had a point, with a hidden enemy, it would be hard to find them and bring them in. Not to mention we don't even know who they are and wouldn't notice if they were missing or part of the crowd. I looked back at the manor, just gazing upon it made me feel nervous. I can't imagine feeling safe being inside of that place again. "May I ask where the body is?" I looked over at Damien as he ask yet another sudden question. He elaborated further. "Eds' body. I-I want to see him one last time. To make sure and… say my condolences."

His voice was becoming a somber tone, clearly he was breaking inside. He had lost two friends today, and it was destroying him. I stood up from the rail and looked at him. "His body is in the hallway where the cinema room is located. You can't miss it with the police tape." Damien too stood up and nodded. Placing his cane in both hands, he walked off into the manor. I watched as he entered through one of the many doors. How can one feel so joyful and merry and then crumble into a mess in less than twenty-four hours? That was how I felt, and most likely that was how he was feeling to. I cupped the wrist that he grabbed and looked at the skin. There was a slight bruise, but not too noticeable. I didn't get to thank him for saving me back there. I could feel a small blush cross my face as I thought about how handsome he was in that black suit with that white undershirt and bowtie. As I pictured his face in my mind, I could envision those doe brown eyes, that slick back ebony hair and that chiseled chin with some hairs on them. Now that I thought about it, Damien looked exactly like-

"You're quite on the case, aren't you?" I was spooked out of my thoughts and jumped at the sudden voice behind me. I turned around to see who it was that spoke to me. Though the accent should have been a dead giveaway, no pun intended.

"Oh, Colonel… you scared me." I breathed in relief, once I knew it was him. Even though I still should suspect him for drinking the certain alcohol that was inside of the bottle used to kill Mark. However, with everything that has been going on, especially with Ed and Damien, I didn't feel like standing up to the Colonel at that moment. But I figured if I was lucky, I would be able to get some answers from him about last night.

"My apologize. I heard you and Damien talking out here and I had to find you."

I looked up at him, a raised brow. "You were… looking for me?"

He turned his back towards me as he flipped on his heels. "Take a walk with me." He didn't give me time to respond as he began to tread his black boots across the cemented deck. I watched him take one step after another. My feet soon took the initiative and I was close behind him.

"What exactly are we doing?" I asked, losing my confidence but tried to remain strong.

"I thought that it was about time that we got to… KNOW each other. Someplace far, far away from the prying eyes of, uh…" He turned his head and stared at me with such intensity. The lens of his strange glasses nearly touched my own. "Anyone else." He motioned with his fingers for me to follow. "Come with me." I knew right away that this was a trap, but I knew I had to get answers that only he would be able to provide. Giving in, I followed him around the manor. We walked for a bit, and he was the first to speak. "Now correct me if I'm wrong but… you and the Mayor know each other, right?"

"The Mayor?" I questioned. "Oh, you mean Damien. I wouldn't say we know each other. We only met last night. But he has been kind to me since I arrived here." A small smile crossed my lips, and I didn't care.

"He's a good man, that one. We've been fast friends for as long as I can remember."

"Oh yes, he's told me. You two, Mark and the others have had your times together." I stopped in my tracks and the Colonel turned to notice me. I had to tell him about Ed, he was going to find out anyways. And even though he probably wouldn't have reacted that strongly about it, there was no point in keeping it from him anyways. I was about to tell him, but he cut me off before I could get a word out.

"Now there came a time when I could have said the same thing about Mark, but…" He clenched his hands for a moment. Anger quickly passed through his body just as fast as it had arrived. "Well, best not to speak ill of the dead."

' **When has that stopped you?'** I was tempted to say, but held my tongue. Again, the last thing I wanted was to get on this guys' nerve, especially if he really was the killer. I just gave him a shady look, but he didn't seem to pay any attention. Instead, he turned his attention towards something else.

"Oh! The pool hasn't aged a day!" I turned to where he was looking at and saw the pool. It didn't seem that large from a community pool, it seemed like a large pond if anything that was decorated in large tan rocks around the edges. There was a second, smaller pool that poured water onto the first floor of the pool on the far end. You could tell it was a swimming area from how clear the water was and though the air around us made it difficult to smell at first, the chlorine came in through my nose. When I heard the rustling of clothes, I turned back to the Colonel and immediately regretted my decision as he was taking off his coat and pants. However, instead of him being naked, I noticed that he was wearing what looked like an old 1900's red and white striped swimsuit. He backed up towards the walls of the manor and got a running start. "GERONIMO!" he shouted as he cannonballed into the water, making a large splash. I flinched at the sudden impact the water made on my skin. The Colonel splashed back to the surface, shaking his wetness. "BULLY!" he shouted louder than before. He swam up towards the edge of where I was standing. "Oh, life needs a bit of madness, eh, chap?"

"Depends on the madness you're talking about." I muttered to myself. I figured I would try to tell him about Ed and what happened. Before this madness expanded to a point that it would get out of hand. "Listen, Colonel, I need to tell you something."

"Oh, is it a secret?" he asked me as he rested his arms on the rock.

"No, it's… look I don't know how to tell you this but…" I was struggling trying to tell him how to say that Ed was dead. It was easy to tell Damien, but it was just the heat of the moment. I must have taken longer than I thought. Because the Colonel was standing by my side, fully dressed up in his suit again and… he was already dried. While I was shocked about him suddenly being so closed to me in a flash, I wasn't going to question how he did that so fast. After everything I've seen and been through since I've been here, this wasn't the weirdest thing.

"Pardon that, I just had to take a dive. Nothing like refreshing yourself." He patted my back as he laughed. This guy was off more than one levels. "Now, what were we talking about?" I pointed to the mansion and once again tried to tell him about Ed Edgar, but I was once again unable to as the Colonel interrupted me. "Oh, yes! The grisly business inside. Well, I'm sure I'm not the first to say that our host had a great deal of enemies as of late."

' **You got that right, I'm looking at one now.'** Again, I didn't say it outloud, but I let it be written on my face. Instead, I wanted him to continue. "Why do you say that?"

"My prying eye might suspect that the people who worked for him might have reason to stab him in the back." He even made a motion of stabbing the air to indicate what he meant. "God knows he's a touch son of a bitch to work for."

"You say that those that worked for him would have a motive… but what about the others?"

The Colonel turned his head towards me. "Others?" he sounded offended. "None of us would have ever killed our friend."

"We all are suspects. Not to mention, you would have a reason to kill him. Like you said, he's a tough son of a bitch to work for. How would you know unless you've had experience?"

He stared at me for a moment, and I thought I had said the wrong thing and would have faced his wrath. However, he only scoffed and smiled. "You're more clever than I gave you credit for, young lady. That cleverness might get you killed."

"If I can bring Marks' killer to justice, then I'm more than okay with it." I crossed my arms, acting tough but shaking on the inside. "Tell me something Colonel, what were you doing last night?"

Another scoffed came from him."This again?"

"The weapon used to kill Mark was a bottle that had Palm Wine in it. Only you and Ed drank that type of alcohol according to the Butler. The bottle was found in the wine cellar, shattered to pieces. Now, I'm gonna ask again. What were you doing last night and where were you?"

He sighed as his hands were placed on his hips. "Yes, I did drink that type of wine. It reminds me of the alcohol I would drink after I finished one of my jobs. Mark offered me a few glasses last night. I don't remember much, I don't! All I remember is Mark and I having a few drinks together, but it was all in the game room. I never went downstairs to that wine cellar. I knew that if I drank too much, I would do something I might regret. After all," he opened his coat to reveal his gun holster where his silver pistol was placed. "I only carry one on me in case of certain situations. Over the years, I've been very… cautious. You could say it was because of my work."

"One last question… did you see Mark go off with anyone to the cellar?" I asked.

This time, he took a minute to come up with an answer. He was thinking, which meant he was trying to actually figure out a response. "I… know that Mark left the room. For what or why, I don't know."

"It wasn't to go off to the little boys room?" I joked, reminding him of his first story.

"Perhaps. I don't think he was with someone. But… right after he left, someone else exited the room."

I grew interested, thinking that there was another clue we could use. "Do you know who it was that left?"

"If I knew that, I'd already given you a name. But… he was wearing black."

"Fully dressed in black or just some black clothing?"

The Colonel shrugged. "I just saw some black on his clothing. I may have been disoridented from the drinks, but I could tell the colors even through blurred eyes."

Somehow, I doubted his ability. But, if he was being honest then it was possible that he was giving me another piece of the puzzle. If what I thought was true, then whoever left the room after Mark went off, could potentially be the murderer. While I wasn't so sure at the time, I was willing to follow any lead. I thought at that moment about those that were wearing black since I arrived. As far as I was aware, only three people had on black outfits. There was Damien, but he couldn't be the killer. Then there was the Butler… it would make sense, seeing as how he does have the key to the wine cellar. But he was the one that showed me the broken bottle to begin with! If he was the murderer, why show me the weapon he used to kill his master? Unless it was to throw us off? But I couldn't have been too sure. Then, the only one left that was wearing black clothing was…

I was cast out of my thoughts when I had heard a scream coming from inside the manor. I looked over at the Colonel for a moment, the two of us realizing what we both heard. Picking up our feets, we hurried through the doors and made it to the rooms to head to the hallway. That was when we saw the scene before us. Another life had been claimed in the walls of this manor.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

We gathered around the stairs to look upon the body. It wasn't just me and the Colonel that was there, but the Detective, Butler and Dr. Iplier had gathered there as well. I looked down at what it was everyone was looking at. Another lifeless body sprawled out on the floor, at the foot of the staircase. He was lying face first on the hardwood floors, glasses were shattered and scattered around the face. The suit was enough to tell me who it was that was dead.

"What happened?!" I looked over at the Butler and asked him for details. He turned towards me, his blue eyes were once again filled with dread.

"There's… been another murder." His sentence was ended with a flash of lightning and a roar of thunder.

"I'm sorry… Bim's dead." Dr. Iplier stated at me. I looked back over at the body, remembering Bim, the game show host and reporter. He was fine not even twenty minutes ago. How he was wanting details about Marks' body disappearing and how he was questioning me about Eds' death. I walked over to the Detective, thinking he would have the answers I was looking for. He had already finished tapping the scene. The Doctor was already getting to work on the corpse to come up with the autopsy.

"What happened?" I asked as I was close to the Detective now.

He turned to me, focus on me. "Bim was snooping around to try and get some information about Ed. I shooed him off and came back with the Doctor."

"You left the body again?"

"He wasn't giving us any choice. It took both the Doctor and I just to get him out of the hallway. We weren't even gone for a minute.* The Detective sighed and looked down at the ground. "By the time we got back, all that was left was the outline."

"So Eds' body is gone now?!"

The Detective looked at me and curtly nodded. "Chances are, whoever took his body probably took Marks'. Which just gives us more reason to suspect that the one that killed Mark also killed Ed."

"And now Bim Trimmer." I noted sully as I turned my attention to the man that I just saw. He was so curious and intent on finding the truth, that was probably what killed him. I held my right arm with my left hand and cast my eyes lower to the ground. "How long did it take you to find him?"

"We were trying to find out where Eds' body went, so we searched the hallway first and spread out. We were heading towards the parlor when we heard the Butler yell-"

"Like a little girl." The Doctor interrupted the Detetive. We looked at him for a moment then I turned to see the Butler, blushing and staring at the ground.

The Detective continued. "After we heard him yell, we found him standing over the body. He claimed that he heard a thud down this hallway and found Mr. Trimmer's body."

"I told you, I didn't kill him! I merely found the body!" The Butler stated in a defensive tone.

"I believe him." Dr. Iplier stated as he stood up from the corpse and took off his gloves.

"What can you tell us, Doctor?" the Detective asked.

"Strangulation. It seemed liked Bim was facing his killer as he was choking him with his hands. I suspect that he was standing at the top of the stairs and once he had run out of breath, the killer let him go and fell down the flight of stairs. That was most likely the thud that the Butler heard."

"How long has he been dead?" I asked.

"His death was very recent, but the killer seemed to have left the crime scene."

"Whoever this son of a bitch is, they must be really fast if they could take Eds' body and have time to off another guest. We need to catch this bastard before he strikes again."

"You're now just realizing that?" The Butler raised a brow towards the Detective. I had to agree with him on this one. For a supposive Detective, he was kind of acting more like Wattson. Scratch that, even Wattson is more capable than this guy. Maybe I should consider just taking the case on my own, I could manage more than he could, and I didn't want to be involved!

"Look, you're a real smart son of a bitch. Handsome, too. Beautiful, even" The Detective claimed as he wiggled his fingers towards the Butler. "BUT, we don't have time for this." The Detective turned to face the Doctor, seriousness once again sprawled on his face. "Have you looked through Bims' belongings?"

"No, I'll leave that task to you." Dr. Iplier handed the Detective a large black briefcase that had a soft fabric to it. With a curt nod, he accepted the gift from the Doctor and then handed it to me.

"I'll leave this task to you Partner. I need to head to the top of the stairs and see if I can figure something out. Call me down if you find anything." He didn't even give me any time to respond to his request, for he was already hopping up the stairs to get to the second floor. I sighed, even though I should have foreseen him doing this to me. Still, looking at the briefcase in my hands, I knew what I had to do. I set myself down on the last step of the stairwell and opened up the item. Taking out a couple of sheets of paper and cream colored folders.

' **Alright Bim, let's see what you left us.'** I thought to myself. I took a look at some of the papers that were loose in the bag. Most of them were just applications and schedules for the game shows that Bim hosted. 'Hire My Ass' and 'Disc of Riches'. What caught my eye was the name difference under 'Company' on the sheet. For the 'Hire My Ass' the company name was Cyndago. The name sounded familiar, but I wasn't sure where I heard it. Mark did do a lot of collaboration projects with other YouTubers. Maybe that was who Cyndago were? I'll have to look at that later. The other company that 'Disc of Riches' was from was Teamiplier, the Markiplier crew. I was familiar with those guys and who was involved with them. I also noticed that under one of the dates one of the episodes aired, William Colonel was under the name for the host. This intrigued me a bit. ' **So, the Colonel helped out with Bim for one of the game shows. I've been seeing a lot of the Colonels' name and actions among everyone. First he was associated with Mark, and now Bim… he sure has done a lot of work for everyone.'**

At that point, I realized that perhaps the Colonel had more of a part to play in this matter than I first thought. He seemed to have some sort of history with Mark and Bim, but that doesn't really explain a motive for him to kill them. And even if he did kill those two, why also kill off Ed? As far as I was aware, he didn't have any affiliation with Ed. But, the more I thought about the relationship between Bim and the Colonel more, the more I realized that he couldn't have killed Bim! I was talking with him when we both heard the scream and we both rushed in. So, he had his alibi. But just because he didn't kill Bim, didn't mean he didn't kill Mark or Ed. Whatever the case, the Colonel seemed to be a prime suspect in this matter. I couldn't afford to take my eyes off of him.

I stuffed the papers back into the case and took out a cream colored folder. Opening it so I could take a look at the contents, I flipped through some of the papers to see what else Bim Trimmer had on the matter. Out of all of them, only one of them caught my interest. The paper was titled as 'Potential Passwords'. There were six words; Amy, Kathryn, Ethan, Tyler, Chica, and Thomas. Some of the names sounded familiar… like Chica, Mark's dog. I knew Amy was the name of his girlfriend but I wasn't too sure about the other four names. I felt like I should have known them, but from where?

The sound of footsteps and a voice made me turn in the direction. "Did you find anything?" the Detective asked me. I stood up from the step and handed him the paper full of names on them. He looked at them and raised his brow. "What's this?"

"It was in Bims' briefcase," I told him. "Bim must have been looking into some sort of combinations for a lock. I think he was trying to find something."

"Something that could have lead to the killer." The Detective looked up at me. I nodded in response.

"All this time, we've been trying to find out who had killed Mark and the others. But I think Bim was looking at the bigger picture. The real question we should have been asking ourselves." The Detective locked eyes with mine for a brief moment. The two of us sharing mental thoughts. He nodded curtly towards me.

"Why?"

I nodded at him. "Why?"

The Detective looked around the room, all eyes were on us now. The other three in the room were looking at us as if we would share them the answers of this situation. Jerking his head to the side, the Detective spoke. "Come, walk with me." I followed him away from the crowd as the two of us headed down the hallway of the manor. "Why did he invite us all here?" the Detective questioned as we made our way through the house. "Why tonight? He said we were celebrating something, but he never specified what. It's almost as if this whole shindig of a hootenanny was just a ruse. Mark was my friend: had been for years. But then he went quiet. I knew something was wrong, I just never figured out what." He stopped in his tracks and stared down at the ground. "Now I guess I never will."

I bit my lip at the last sentence. I knew that it was a dream at that point, but the very idea of Markiplier being dead, and killed no less, it was a devastating loss on everyone. I knew that this would be my one and only chance to bring up the tape I saw. The Detective had the answer to certain questions. I took a deep breath and began to speak to him since we left the third crime scene. "Look, last night, before I headed off to bed I spoke with Mark." The Detective looked up at me, interest in his eyes. I went on. "He said that he was going through a rough patch in his life and he lost his motivation. I guess that's why he… hasn't been active these past months. But he said that he threw this party as a way to regain himself and he would get back to making more videos today. That's all I know."

"We all have our breaking point, even Mark."

I wasn't done. "A few hours ago, I found some security footage from the kitchen. And on one of those tapes, you were meeting Mark himself. According to the date, it was a few days prior from today. He even called you Mick and said that he was glad you were here. I'm pretty sure he wasn't talking about you coming to his party." The Detective didn't look at me for a moment, he was probably trying to figure out what he was going to say next. He turned to me, eyes full of longing.

"Look, I'm gonna level with you; you're my new partner. I've been working with him for years."

"So, you've solved cases for him before?" I questioned.

"Not exactly," he admitted, to my surprise. "But he usually has me look into somethings. About seven months ago, he started to act weird. Became paranoid, thought he heard voices and saw strange images. I was the first person he contacted. I didn't know what to think, I thought it was from all of those games he's been playing. I told him that he needed to take a break, so he came here to get away from it all."

Now that I thought about it, what he was saying actually made sense. Mark hadn't uploaded any new videos in six months on his channel, but no one knew why. If it really was the lack of motivation, the paranoia of the games and even having to deal with crazed fans, not that I was offending anyone, I'd probably want a break as well. But for half a year? It seemed extreme, he must have been dealing with a lot of build up emotions. I guess now they were all out though. Just what was Mark dealing with if he had to go into hiding for so long? I was beginning to wonder if this really was all just a dream. I mean, I knew I was asleep but… I was starting to believe there was more to these subconscious films. The Detective turned on his heel and kept walking through the hall. When I heard the steps, I saw him leaving me behind and hurried to catch up to him. "Now I've been doing this for a long time, and I know something is wrong." That was the biggest understatement of the year. "There is a murderer-" once again, thunder and lightning interrupted him, "-here amongst us, and we need to find him. Now you look like a trustworthy...somebody. I know we just met but I am an excellent judge of character. Excellent like a fox." He winked at me then kept walking. I nodded at him but once he turned his head I rolled my eyes. I knew he was just telling me lies at this point. He probably didn't trust me at all, I was another suspect after all. The only reason I agreed to be his partner was to prove that I was innocent. Sure, there was also Markiplier, but I knew I couldn't bring the murderer to justice. Chances are he probably thought I wasn't capable of this job at all, even though I had done more than he has.

"I smiled and fed her a line of bullshit." I jumped as I suddenly heard the Detectives' voice not in front of me, but rather all around me. "The truth was, I couldn't trust her anymore than the other skizz around here." I looked at the back of the man infront of me and pondered if he was saying all of this outloud. If he was, he's crazier than I thought. "But like my late partner once said right before he died, best to keep your enemies close. Wink wink." I was once again caught off guard as he suddenly turned 180 degrees to stare at me with a very unpleasant intent. "You don't look like you have a reason to kill him. And if you do…" he paused to take a laugh. Even though there wasn't anything funny about the situation. "Best to keep your enemies close, eh? Wink wink." he closed his left eyes then turned back to walking. Well, I guess I was right about him not trusting me. I wasn't even going to question what just happened there. After everything that had happened to me, at that point I didn't consider that the weirdest thing that I went through. "So, the real question we should be asking is: Who stood to gain the most from Mark's death?"

"If we can figure out the motives, then we can most likely find the killer." I added. "But I don't know anything about the relationships Mark had with all the others. If I knew more about these guys, it would be easier."

"Agreed, even I have limited knowledge about the guests here. But, that's why we're going here." Heading up the stairs of the manor and going to the second floor, we soon came to the small living room where I talked with Mark last night. The event only seemed like so long ago yet it was very recent. The pain in our voices could still be heard in these walls.

"Where exactly are we going?" I asked.

"We're gonna have to do the Detective-ly thing and go through the victim's most private and personal possession. Chances are, those passwords we got from Bim might give us the lead we've been looking for on this case." I stared at the double mahogany doors before me. The Detective eyed the door then glanced back at me. "Well, after you." I gave a flat expression, did I really have to do all the work for him? And why are we doing this now? You'd think with all the time I had left him he would have already gone through this room. However, I knew that the only way to get through this was for me to get it over with. My hand reached for the golden handle and turned it so the two of us entered the room. It sure looked like a mess alright, there were clothes and curtains draped over the floor, the sheets on the bed were in bundles, files and folders everywhere and even a random couch cushion brought the mess together. Looking at the room in this state, made my creative mind wonder what happened. Mark probably went back to his room after seeing me off and that was most likely when he met the murderer, ready to stab at him with the bottle of Palm Wine. Mark tried to fight him off, but ended up losing in the end. Though, if that were true I wonder why I didn't see any blood stains on the cream colored carpet or even smelt the taste.

"Looks rough, but I don't think he was killed here. Take a look around, see if you find anything, but BE CAREFUL. I've lost three partners before to bedroom booby traps." Mick, the Detective, warned me. I understood and began to make my way around the room, trying to find any clue that would help us figure out what happened here last night. With any luck, I might be able to find another security camera that caught the action. I checked the table at the far left end of the room and noticed a few pictures scattered around the surface. These pictures were all of Mark and most of the other guests. Damien, the Colonel, Bim Trimmer, Ed Edgar, The Host, and Dr. Iplier. There was one picture where Mark, Damien and the Colonel were close together and smiling. Mark's arms were draped over both their shoulders and the two seemed to be having a good time. The other pictures were of the others on their own. Interestingly enough, Bim and Eds' glass on the photos were smashed. That couldn't have been a good sign. It seemed like a clue, but I couldn't fathom what it meant, other than the fact that Mark seemed to have the closest relationship with Damien and the Colonel and the busted frames of Bim and Ed could have represented them as dead. But it didn't really help figure out who killed those two and Mark. My body turned away from the table full of broken pictures and my eyes caught the double doors of the closet near the king sized bed. My eyebrow arched up on my head as a sudden thought came to mine. I had always heard the terms "skeleton in the closet" before, and maybe it was time to figure out why that saying was. Making my way towards the door and grabbing ahold of the handles, I swung the two doors opened and looked inside. I was prepared, in case something jumped out at me. Actually, I was kind of expecting the Colonel to pop out and yell "Bully" to me. But I was slightly disappointed when at first all I saw were clothes hanging up on the racks and bins piled against the wall. At first, it seemed like nothing of interest would help further the case. Until my eyes landed upon a small rectangular cardboard box that rested alone in the center of the closet. Tilting my head, I was baffled not by its' existence, but the position it was in. As if the other things around it didn't matter at all, like there was something that separated it from the rest.

Somehow, the box itself felt off. But it must hold something of importance. Reaching into the small space, my hands grabbed the container from the floor and I looked at the small package as I held it. "Did you find something?" Mick asked me as he looked over my shoulder to see the box himself.

"I'm not too sure," I admitted. "I found this in the closet. I'm not sure what it is though but maybe it could help us. I'll take anything at this point."

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Mick grabbed the box from my hands and placed the container on the ground next to the bed. "Alright, let's see what's in here." The Detective leaned down, ready to open up the package. Just as he reached to unseal the tape, he fell back on his butt as the box was suddenly opened. I took a step back as I saw what popped out from the cardboard, a man in a blue shirt with a white capital G on the fabric. He wore glasses, and messy brown hair. I stared at the man for a moment, taking in his appearance. He looked oddly familiar… wait… he looked just like….

"Woah… look at this, it's… a bit Asian. Huh." Mick noted as he got himself up, then stood closer to examine the man. "Who exactly is this man?"

"Google IRL!" Mick turned to look at me, as if I had said a word in another language. I kept my eyes on the Markiplier look alike and explained further. "I've seen this before. This is Google IRL." He cocked his head to the side. "In real life."

"I know what IRL means. How do you know what this thing is?"

"I've seen a video of it a while ago. His primary function is to answer any and all questions as fast as possible. And he has the capability to do routamantary tasks. It wasn't practical yet though, he's more like a toy."

"Like Marks' giant man toy." Mick noted as he looked back at the robot.

"Probably shouldn't phrase it like that." I noted under my breath. I looked down at the box and noticed a small note next to the shoes of Google. Reaching down, I picked up the note and read what was on it. "Dear Mark, thanks for giving me early access to Google IRL, but it seems there were some bugs in the systems. I'm sending it back to you to see if you can fix it. -Matthias." I looked up from the note and stared at Google. He looked at me with those cunning brown eyes. It uneased me, but at the same time it made me think that perhaps this was what we needed to get further into the investigation.

"So… how does it work?" Mick asked.

"I think all you have to do to get started is say, okay Google."

A bing came from the robot. "Hello." In a low and ominous voice it cooed.

"Pleasure to meet you, Google." Mick reached out his hand in an attempt to shake Googles'. However, Google ended up hitting the Detective in the groin area, causing him to fall once again on his butt.

"Oops, my mistake." He certainly didn't sound very sincere about it though. Then again, from that video I saw, I probably should have expected that.

Mick stood back up and looked over at me. "Are you sure this thing is safe?"

"Well, if Google followed the laws of robotics, and not the Terminator kind, we should be fine." Even though I was aware of what this robot was capable of, I didn't want to tell the Detective. Right now, this machine was our only chance of figuring out what was going on in that manor.

"Alright Google, what is it that you do?" Mick asked as he squinted at the robot.

"Primary objective is to answer questions as quickly as possible." Mick looked satisfied with a grin for a moment. Until Google continued as he turned towards me. "Secondary objective is to destroy mankind." I took a step back as his head suddenly turned in my direction and his eyes landed on me.

"Over here, Google." Mick motioned with his fingers for the robot to look at him.

"Secondary objective is to destroy mankind." Google repeated as he looked at the Detective this time. Mick turned to look over at me, not at all disturbed by the sentence that was uttered.

"I know I should be worried, but part of me wants to take this thing to a mechanic and tear it open just to see what makes it tick."

I shook my head and tried to get him to focus on the task at hand. "You can take Google IRL later, right now we need to figure out what information he holds."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, if Google IRL is like a computer, that means it must have files on it right? Markiplier is the type of guy that would use technology for pretty much everything. Especially in this day and age, you can find information on the internet and electronic devices. Since Mark doesn't seem to have any computers here, that means any personal files he would have put on any device would be…" Both of our eyes turned towards the guy in the blue shirt, he was just standing there still in the small box looking around like a child that couldn't control their imagination.

"You think Mark might have some files on this guy?" Mick pointed to Google.

"It's our best guess so far."

He gave a slight nod and turned back to face the humanoid machine. "Okay Google, can you pull up all of the files that Mark put inside of you?"

"To access files, input passcode." Google requested as a large hologram of a screen appeared right in front of him. It was as wide as his body and the screen consist of a keyboard and a small rectangle with a flashing pointer.

"Guess that would have been too easy." I muttered to myself, knowing I should have expected this but didn't.

"You still got that paper with the passwords from Bims' body right?" I nodded towards the Detective and held up the paper in my hands. "Alright, six different codes, one of them has to be the right one."

"Let's hope." I mostly said to myself than to him. I got closer to Google, checking the projected screen that separated the two of us. I looked at the page, six names but only one of them would be able to unlock the files. The question is, which one. I also had to understand what might happen should I enter the wrong password. If Google IRL had the same functions as a computer, entering the wrong passcode too many times might mean I would be locked out for a long while. I looked over the list, trying to think what passcode would work. I looked at the word Amy, thinking on Marks' girlfriend. I knew it was cliched and a bit sappy, but then again it was Mark. Maybe it wouldn't be too far fetched. I used the keypad on the screen and typed Amy in the space and pressed enter. I stood back and waited as a loading screen appeared. For a moment, I was actual hopeful that those files would come up.

The screen went black all of a sudden, and I was worried I didn't get the right code. Until some funky music started up with drum beating followed by a mixture of guitar and piano. Then the screen popped up Markiplier with messy hair and his glasses. He was dancing in front of one of those 1980's microphones. He wore an open black denim jacket with a black and white horizontal striped shirt. That was one scene, in another scene that it transition to, he wore a long cream colored trench coat with all black clothing underneath. As if that wasn't weird enough, the next scene was of Amy in a tight sleeveless jumpsuit shaking her lower half with her back towards me. Next it transitioned to Mark being outside wearing a blue male button blouse and light blue denim jeans with sunglasses. He and Amy were dancing and spinning around and it wasn't till Mark started singing that I new where this video came from.

"We're no strangers to love~!. You know the rules, and so do I~! A whole commitment is what I'm thinking of~! You wouldn't get this from any other guy~! I~ just wanna tell you how I'm feeling~. Gotta make you, understand. Never gonna give you up. Never gonna let you down. Never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry. Never gonna say goodbye. Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you."

I was a little bit offended, knowing that I had gotten Rick Rolled by Markiplier. Though I had to admit, they nailed the orginal video to a T. The outfits, the settings, and even the characters they got. Mark being Rick Astley, the Chief as the bartender behind the counter and Amy as well as Kathryn were the female dancers. Mark and them did the moves well, even the Chief was doing well by doing a split in mid air and spinning around as he was cleaning the glass cups. Amy and Katheryn were even rocking those outfits. Then towards the end there was some guy in a white shirt with blue jeans and a belt. He had bleach green fluffy hair and a scratchy bread. He got onto his knees and spun around with his arms out, he even ran up the brick wall and samusaulted back down to the ground. He sure was flexibly and though I couldn't see his face, he looked handsome. Mark continued to sing the song all the way through. Once it was finished, the screen went black for a moment and was brought back to where we started, requiring a password.

I stared at the screen for a moment, processing the video I just watched. ' **Did I just get Rick Rolled Markiplier style? In 2018 no less…'** I had to take a whole minute to just accept what happened to me. While I love the song, I did not appreciate being pranked by that meme.

"I knew Mark was a good singer… but I have no idea what that was about." Mick spoke confused as he saw the video as well. I turned back to him and rubbed the back of my head.

"Well, I didn't think I would be Rick Rolled in my lifetime, but what can you do?"

"Rick Rolled?" Mick arched an eyebrow as he stared at me confused.

"Yeah, it's a viral troll people made up based around the song he sung. Kind of like a meme, expect it's more to annoy you than to be funny."

"Memes? Viral trolls?" he was becoming more confused the more I tried to explain. I didn't even know why I was telling him this because it really wasn't important. Plus I highly doubt he would understand. I didn't really know how old he was, but he didn't seem young to me.

"Forget it, we need to focus on the matter at hand." I turned back at the screen as it brought us back to where we needed to enter the password. Clearly Amy didn't work, but it didn't seem to set us back either. I checked over the list again, trying to figure out which name to try next. The name below Amy was Kathryn, I didn't really recognize the name that much but she was probably from the Teamiplier crew if I had to guess. Might as well give her a try and see what happened. I typed her name on the screen before me with my fingers and hit the enter key. After a moment, the screen went dark again and I was scared I would be taken back to the Markirolled video, but it was worse.

This time, a video played where the scene was what looked like some sort of interview room. With two chairs, one was a wooden and the other a gray cushioned. The walls were made out of bricks with a large TV hanging on the wall and potted plants around the small space. The man that was in this video looked like Mark, but it wasn't him. He had a pink mustache that looked fake with how unfluffed up it was. His hair was mostly parted to the left side of his face. He had on a creamy yellow dress shirt with white cuffs, a light brown pair of pants that had pink suspenders and a pink bow tie around his collar. I was confused at first but it was quickly replaced by distribution once the video began.

"Ano kousaten de~. Minna ga moshi skip wo shite~. Moshi ano machi no mannaka de~. Te wo tsunaide sora wo miagetara~. Moshimo ano machi no dokoka de~. Chance ga tsukamitai no nara~. Mada naku no ni wa hayai yo ne~. Tada mae ni susumu shika nai wa iya iya~! Ponpon dashite! Shimaeba ii no~. Zenzen shinai no tsumaranai desho~.Headphone kakete rhythm ni nosete~. Wayway akete atashi no michi wo~. Ponpon susumu iro-iro na koto~. Don-don kiteru? Anata no kimochi~. Poipoi suteru warui ko wa dare? Sou sou ii ko aa~. You make me happy~."

This video was even more un-appealing than the last one. This man was clearly insane just by the actions and the song he was singing. Though he had a nice voice and a sophisticated accent, clearly he did not have the mind set to match with his physical appearance. And the music video made no sense either! There were parts where he was just singing into a gun, other times where he was dancing, if you could even call it that. In one scene he was just a floating head with a swirling red and white background as well as a scene where he was in a pink, female shirt that looked more like a workout bra with black shorts that were way too small. He even slapped his butt to the beat which was more than unnerving in of itself. All I knew was, I was happy when it was all over and the screen went black then back to the passcode screen.

"I don't even know what to make of that." The Detective commented.

"I don't even want to know what he was thinking." I said. ' **Was it just me, or did that guy sound familiar? He didn't sound like Mark himself but… the accent?'** I shook my head, chasing away that thought. I shouldn't be distracted by such a trivial question. Clearly two of the six passcodes didn't work. While we were still in the same spot, we seemed to be making a small bit of progress. I looked back at the passwords and tried to think logically this time. So far, Amy and Kathryn weren't the right ones, that was for sure. The next name that stood out was Tyler. Third time's the charm, they always say. Once again, after typing the name and hitting enter, the screen went black. I already knew some random video would be playing soon enough and I was right. And somehow this video was even more disturbing than the last two. Especially when it opened up with Markiplier himself dancing to these lyrics.

"Two to the one from the one to the three…"

"Oh please don't tell me…" I groaned in annoyance as the music continued.

(AN: Due to the fact that the lyrics for this song have a bunch of very inappropriate and offensive words, I will not be typing the rest of the song.)

I was more disappointed in myself for typing the word that triggered this animation and for the Teamiplier crew that actually took the time to make this. Now that I thought about it, the animation and the dance moves they were doing was offaly similar to another 'You Reposted in the Wrong Neighborhood' video I watched. I think it was a Pokemon one… from the Sun and Moon generation if I remembered correctly. They had not only Mark and the four members of Teamiplier, but the Detective, Chief, the Colonel and Damien were also dancing along as well. Actually, now that I think about it, the Colonel seemed like the perfect person to be dancing to this song, though I wasn't sure why I thought that at the time. Thankfully that episode ended but it took me awhile to regain my composure. I turned back to the Detective, he was just as baffled by the video as well. Can't blame him since technically he was part of it. He turned his head away, face becoming flustered. "I have nothing to say."

Nor did I, so I let it go. So far, half of the passwords didn't work, and I was scared to try another one at this point. But I felt that we were getting closer, and even though I had a feeling it would get worse, I had to figure out which three of the remaining codes would work. The next one I typed onto the screen was Ethan, and I could only wait to see what nightmare video awaited me as the screen faded to black. This time, it was Markiplier, the guy that was in the second video and Damien walking through a city setting. As soon as the music started to play, I knew right away what song they would sing.

"Alagamun-lan weh, wakun, heya, hanun, gon. Alagamun-lan weh, wakun, heya, hanun, gon. Alagamun-lan, ari, gari, hanon, kari, he. Alagamun-lan, we-like, we like party, hey. Ichiba, varriya, is hara moru mashi sondori, yama, varriya Yougun, pegi, tur, equa, machen, varriya. Noga, onku, pega, haga kunge, nande, barriya Damn girl, you're so freakin sexy. Ah ah ah ah I'm a… Ah ah ah ah I'm a… Ah ah ah ah I'm a mother father gentleman. I'm a… Ah I'm a… I'm a mother father gentleman."

To be completely honest, I actually enjoyed that clip. I liked the song and the video was pretty entertaining. Though the guy with the pink mustache seemed to be very rude to a lot of the women in the video. They did the moves surprisingly well to the beat and towards the end, they even had women partners. Amy danced along with Mark, of course. The guy with the mustaches' partner wore a feminine version of his outfit, with a pink mustache headband on her head. As for Damien, he was dancing with a girl that had pink rose petal hair, but she had more of a gothic punk style outfit with a red corset that had black lace and an open leather jacket. Skinny tight black pants and thigh high darker boots. When the video ended, I actually clapped at the performance as did the Detective.

"Well that video was more relatable," Mick stated. "That reference I knew."

I turned my attention back to the sheet, two more passwords left. At least now there was only a fifty-fifty percent chance of either of them working. I looked at Chica, the name not only reminding me of the yellow duck-chicken creature from Five Nights at Freddy's, but the name of one of Marks' pet dogs. Surely that name had to get us somewhere other than… the videos that Google showed us. For the fifth time, I typed in the name onto the screen and hit enter, waiting. Of course, my patience was beginning to run thin as we were once again transported to a black screen and the opening began with a yellow lap dog sailing on a floaty in a large swimming pool. While Markipliers' echoey voice sung out "Boat Dog" in the background. It was only about twenty seconds, but there was more apparently. There was a transition to what looked like a graveyard setting where the dog acted like it was dancing on two legs. And the phrase "Ghost Dog" kept being repeated by Mark himself. But it didn't end there, there was a whole minute long video dedicated to clips of dog videos where Mark inserted his own lips onto the dogs digitally so it made it look like the dogs were actually talking. He was pretty much barking, woofing, and saying things like "I'm a dog" to the audience. After what seemed like two whole minutes, which actually wasn't that bad considering how long the other videos were, it was over and we went back to password locked screen. Both the Detective and I looked at each other, questioning what to make of that video.

"Not gonna lie… that was freaking adorable."

"You know, honestly, after all of the other videos I've seen I don't really consider this one the strangest film I've seen all day." I admitted.

"But we still aren't getting anywhere." The Detective sighed in annoyance. "I'm just about ready to take this bucket of bolts down to some tech geeks and have them take a crack at him."

I was just about to agree with him, that was how desperate I was getting just trying to figure out what Google could hold! But I checked the list one last time, thinking that I might have missed something. The names, they had to be somewhat connected with each other. Think, why did these names mean so much to Mark? I know Amy was the name of his girlfriend, Chica was the name of his dog, Kathryn, Ethan and Tyler were members of Teamiplier. It wasn't until my eyes drifted down to the very last name towards the bottom of the sheet that the pieces were starting to put themselves together. Thomas… that name… I've heard it somewhere before. I don't remember there being a Tom in the Teamiplier family. All the names, they were the names of people Markiplier knew and were part of his… his family… My eyes went wide as saucers as I remembered a video Mark made. It was a Draw my Life video, where he explained his life story and how he became a YouTuber. Thomas… Tom… a smile cracked onto my face as I stepped forward and entered the last name onto the screen. After hitting enter, I stood back as the loading icon showed up. I fiddled with my fingers, praying at this point that this would be the right code needed to get the information.

My face lite up as the screen said "Welcome". I raised my fists into the air and jumped a bit, congratulating myself. The Detective looked at me, I didn't care if he thought I was crazy. He wasn't real! "You finally did it!"

"I should have realized it earlier." I admitted. He tilted his head at me, so I went on to explain further. "The names on the sheet were names of the people in Marks' life. Amy is the name of his girlfriend, Chica is the name of his dog, and Kathryn, Ethan and Tyler are members of Teamiplier. Amy is a member as well, just like Chica. But, the name Thomas stood out to me. Not because it was the last name we didn't try, but because the name itself has a higher meaning to Mark. There isn't a member on Teamiplier named Thomas. But, Mark does have a brother named Jason Thomas Fischbach, though Mark and him like to be called Tom. I saw him mention his brother when he did a Draw my Life on his channel a while back. That should have been the name that stuck out the most, but I didn't remember or realize until now."

"Guess it pays to be a huge fan of one of your idols."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I smiled, not caring that he joked at me. "Now that we have access to Google IRL, maybe we can figure out what he has on Mark." I stepped up to the display screen that separated me and Google IRL, looking at what was on the projected image. There didn't seemed to be too much of interest at first. The normal browser bar below with the Chrome, file images, Internet Explorer (Who even uses that anymore?). I tapped on the files and began to look through them, trying to figure out what it was I need to know. It felt weird for me to be snooping through Marks' personal information, kind of like I was stalking him in a way. But this was for the better of the case, and this was just a figment of my imagination so it's not like there's going to be any information on here that I don't already know. So far, from the files alone it was pretty standard. Real name was Mark Edward Fischbach, born June 28th, 1989. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii but grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. Moved to Los Angeles, California to get started on his YouTube career which began on March 6th, 2012. Father served in the military, died of cancer when Mark was 18. Mother is of Korean descent. Studied to become a biomedical engineer at the University of Cincinnati, but dropped out to purse his YouTube career. Brother is known as an artist and author of webcomics. He also won an award as Celebrity of the Year by the Make-A-Wish Foundation Award Ceremony in 2016. And Best Streamer/Broadcaster by the Golden Joystick Awards in 2017. Okay, so maybe there was a bit of information I didn't know about Mark. This was starting to unsettle me a bit with how much I was really learning from these files. But it didn't really seem like anything could help me.

I skimmed over the screen to see what other files Mark could have, and the one out of the corner of my eye caught my interest. It was a folder titled "Alter Egos". My eyebrow arched by that name. It certainly was a strange title, meaning there must be strange content behind it. Only one way to know for sure. I hesitantly clicked on the folder and watched documents pop up one after another. With this information, surely I would get somewhere. I looked at the documents and picked one at random. The one that I ended up picking was Bim Trimmers' document. I nearly gasped when I saw that it was a record of the very person. His birthdate; December 10th, 2014. His profession: gameshow host of Hire My Ass. What he usually wore, his personality, the channel he appeared on: Cyndago. This was insane! What was even crazier was the fact that they kept referring to him as a character and not a person.

I clicked on another file, the one that belonged to Ed Edgar and it showed the same information about when he first appeared on YouTube and what he was part of. It took me a whole moment to process this information, but now it was all becoming so clear to me. ' **Oh my god… how could I have not noticed it before? The way they all look and sound alike?! The guests downstairs… Ed, Bim, the Doctor, the Host, Damien, the Colonel…'** My eyes quickly glanced at Google IRL then back down to the screen. ' **All of them are just characters that Mark has played in sketches he's acted in over the years. These guys aren't real people! They're based and played by one single person!'** I looked back over at the Detective. He had taken the initiative to scope through the rest of Marks' belongings in the closet while I was looking over the files. I wondered… did he know? I doubted it, he was just another character in this dream world my mind had made up. Even if he did know, he wasn't going to tell me. He made that clear when we were walking down to this room. I looked back at the other files to see what other egos Mark had. Some of these characters I never even heard of. Silver Shephard, some sort of crime-fighting, wrestling character? I wasn't sure, but his outfit reminded me of those masked wrestlers on TV. There was also the King of the Squirrels. I remember him from when Mark had reached his 80,000 subscriber mark and he made a special video. He covered his face in peanut butter in a beard sort of fashion to feed the squirrels in his backyard. To this day, I never understood why he did that for his special. But since those little rodents didn't tear off his cheeks it was all good in the end. Then there was his own interpretation of Santa Clause during his Happy Wheels playthrough. That Santa was a very bad man. He lashed out at his elves, became drunk on eggnog and overall had a disturbing personality. Needless to say that is one Santa Clause I do not want to be visited by.

Oddly though, I didn't see any files with the Colonels' name or Damiens. They were all alphabetical, so I didn't miss any… My eyes wandered to the W section and I saw a name that sounded familiar to me. I clicked on the name Wilford Warfstache. Apparently, he was one of Marks' most well-known egos on his channel. When I looked at the picture, I was shocked to see that this man looked just like the one from the second video I saw when I typed in Kathryn. I looked through more of his information to see what else I could find. His real name was William, though there wasn't any last name. It was mentioned that he had served in a war and was a veteran, though it didn't specify what war. He seemed to have been a reporter for the AFC News and eventually got his own talk show, ended up interviewing Slender Man, Phone Guy from the FNAF series and Mark himself. He was also on the run from the cops due to being a convict in an affair and allegedly killing three people, a dog and a baby. Then things started to get even crazier when I read that he was once a successful safari hunter, but was starting to become paranoid. Immediately, I thought back to those questions I asked the Colonel when I found out that Marks' body had disappeared. I looked through the photo gallery that the file had on him. Sure enough, there was an image of the Colonel in his natural wear right next to the image of him from the video. What did this mean? Was the Colonel and Warfstache the same person? But that didn't make any sense, if all of this happened to him then why was he here now? Why would Mark allow a murderer, a schizophrenic one at that, to be invited to such an event? This Colonel, or Warfstache or whatever his name was seemed to be very suspicious.

I looked back over to the D section to see if I could locate Damiens' file, but the only file that was there was one titled 'Dark'. I blinked and adjusted my eyes as the name appeared on the transparent screen. It was the last file I hadn't checked and it would most likely hold the most information. Taking my chances, I tapped on the file. A small document opened up, I was surprised and disappointed that there was only one paragraph of information as opposed to the other characters that had pages of their profile. I read over what was written and was taken back to see that there were some words missing from the text. Well, not really missing, more like blacked out.

"********** is a name that the fan base has used to describe Markiplier when he's not ******** normally. Instead of his ********* and ******** personality, he is opting for a more ****** personality and actively trying to ***** his fan base. There have been multiple instances of this ******** throughout his channel, ranging from very subtle and effective to very obvious and amusing. The fan base has come to acknowledge that ********** is a separate being and *** one of Marks' alter egos."

As I read this information, I was stumped realizing that some of the words had been covered over. Making it harder for me to get the full story. I wondered if someone might have altered this file to get rid of certain keywords. But if that was true, why would they not just delete the whole file instead of making the job harder for themselves? That was a question I couldn't answer at that time. I scrolled down to the bottom of the page and was rewarded with a picture of Damien. He was holding his cane in his hands, smiling gently with confidence in the photo. Behind him were window panes that allowed the sunlight to shine into the yellow-creamed room with light scarlet drapes that hanged above the glass. For a moment, I stared at the picture. Not fully understanding the real image presented before me. Why was there a picture of Damien in this Dark profile? It wasn't until the screen glitched out a bit that the true picture showed. It was only for a split second, but that was all I needed to see the true image of the photo. For that small glimpse, I saw the picture became much more creepier. The background was more of a dark navy color with the windows allowing the dark of the night in. Some of the glass in the panes were either cracked or destroyed completely. And the curtains were a much darker shade of crimson and ripped apart as if an animal clawed at them without mercy. And Damien himself, his tan complex became that of a sickly gray figure. His eyes didn't hold that kind, sparkling doe brown light in them but rather a harsh emotion as the eyes were just black dots. I gasped and took a step back when that image was flashed on the screen for that small moment. I was sure I hadn't imaged it, because Google IRL acted up when that happened. He twitched in his right eye and shrugged his right shoulder. Did he feel it as well? I looked back at the photo and breathed a few times. What did this all mean? Could this mean that Damien… isn't whom he appears to be?

"Partner, are you alright?" the Detective grabbed onto my arm and pulled me away from the screen further.

I whipped my head to look up at him, concern in his eyes. I gently pulled my arm out of his grip and gave a shuttered response. "I-I'm fine…"

"What did you find out?" he asked me as he stared at the projected screen.

"M-Mark has a bunch of information about his… guests. They're all there in those files." I was going to say characters but decided to change it at the last second. Thinking that it would be better to not really mention the sketches Mark was in to the Detective. I wasn't sure why, maybe because he wouldn't truly understand. "You should take a look, it'll be easier for you to see it yourself rather than if I explained it."

Mick looked back at me for a minute, I probably looked a bit helpless in his eyes. But I didn't blame him if he thought of me that way at that moment, because I was just as confused as he was. However, he gave me a curt nod and made his way towards Google to look at the screen. I wasn't sure how he was going to react to the information, I could hardly process it at the time. It was just so much knowledge, old and new that my brain couldn't keep up. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, my head starting to feel light for a moment. "I'll be right back, I need to… freshen up a bit."

"There's a bathroom here in this room. Don't take too long." The Detective advised me. I turned around and headed towards the narrowed entry of the room, and turned to enter the bathroom of the master's' chambers. I turned on the lights and walked towards the sink. I took off my glasses and began to ran the water. The cool liquid spilt on my hands, making my body quiver at the slight temperature difference, but it refreshed me nonetheless. Cupping my hands, I gathered the water in my palms and splashed my face with it. That woke me up and helped my burning brain a bit. I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take, but I knew that I wasn't even close to wrapping up this case.

I breathed a sigh, wondering how much longer was this dream going to go on. I just wanted to wake up and be in the real world again. I didn't realize that just like last time, my wish would come true. I heard the same cracking noises nearby and looked up to see the mirror in front of me breaking as lines of cracks started to web their way into the glass. Forming a large hole into my reflection that emitted light, blinding me for a moment. I looked back up and checked the mirror, my eyes being drawn to the large hole in the glass. Until the place around me started to become white and my vision blurred out to the point I couldn't see.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

I shifted around as the blaring sound of the alarm rang out in the room. I moaned as I reached my arm over to the desk to click the alarm off my phone. I moaned again and sat up on the futon mattress. Placing my hand on my head as it was pounding a bit. My eyes slowly opened and the surroundings became clear soon enough. I was once again in the guest room of my sisters' house on the futon in bed formation. Now I was sure it was all a dream at this point. I plopped back down on the mattress, my eyes staring at the ceiling as my head was cushioned by the pillow. I closed my lids for a moment, trying to recall all that happened in my dream. Brief glimpses and small summaries came to mind but the whole picture was faded. "What is wrong with me?" I asked myself outloud as half lidded eyes were staring at the ceiling specks. What exactly were these dreams that I was having? There's no way that this can be a coincidence, me having the same dream in two nights in a row and a continuation at that. These dreams have to mean something. But what though, I wasn't aware at the time.

Grabbing my phone, I checked to see the time. It was almost eight in the morning, meaning that Kris and Kay were probably going to get up soon. Tossing the duvet off my being and placing my feet on the cold wooden floor, I got out of bed and made my way out of my room and down the hallway to head to the kitchen. My stomach demanded food and it would not be denied its' request. I gathered a bowl, milk, spoon and a box of Cocoa Puffs. I wasn't too sure how much my stomach can handle at this point but I'd rather get some food in me now than have to suffer the consequences later. Once I used the ingredients to make the cereal, I took my bowl and sat down at the small table to eat. The silence in the room was unpleasant but bliss. Between the dreams I've been having and the work I've been putting into the benefit party for the non-profit, it was nice to take a moment and relax my mind. I ate a few spoonfuls of my cereal, trying to enjoy the moment I was in. But my mind kept wandering back to those dreams. While I didn't want to deal with those strange visions anymore, part of me questioned if maybe I should start taking this seriously and just go along with it. It might be the only way to know what these dreams mean and if I can interpret the origin, then maybe I can cut it at its' roots and end this madness in my mind. Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was going to do, it was far too early in the morning for me to come to a logical deduction.

When my ears picked up footsteps, I turned my head to see Kay in her pajamas coming into the kitchen with Oliver by her feet. "Hey kiddo, up already?" though she sounded tired, her voice had that sisterly love to it.

Swallowing what was left in my mouth, I replied. "I figured I would get up early so we can get ready to go get the dresses. The party is tomorrow night and we still have a lot to do. So I figured Kris would want us to get up early to get everything done."

Kay shrugged. "She's the only one out of all of us that isn't up yet. She went to bed pretty late last night so I'm gonna let her get some rest before we head off." She made her way over to the table and took a seat across from me. "Besides," she continued, "we're only just going to be looking at dresses and shopping for tomorrow. Everything else, aside from the check up at the place tomorrow, is done."

"But it's Kris, meaning that an hour of shopping will take another five." The two of us laughed at my joke, knowing how well that was true. Me and Kay weren't really ones on shopping, unless it was food related. My mom and sister usually loved to go shopping for clothes and furniture. Personal, I don't understand how anyone can find shopping for clothes fun. It just seemed like a hassle to be walking around all those asiles, checking out which styles were in, which ones you like. Then you had to try on the clothes to make sure they fit and save yourself the embarrassing trip of returning them. But they always end up looking better on the racks or mannequins than on you. I never really liked shopping, even when I was a kid. I didn't want to be all dressed up, unless for an event. I'd prefer to have an outfit that is more comfortable to wear than flashy or fashiony. Maybe that was another thing that separates me from the rest of the girls my age. But Kay didn't seem to mind, she was on my side for that argument.

"Are we going to some fancy store like David's Bridals?"

"Have you seen the prices of those dresses!?" Kay joked. "We'll probably go to the mall around here. More store options."

"Meaning more running around." I pointed out.

"Hey, I'd rather do all my shopping in one place than have to travel around the whole city just to find a store with my color."

"I think I would rather worry about my size than the color."

"You act like you think you're fat."

"I **am** fat."

"You're a bit overweight than most girls, that's not bad. Everyone has a different body type, and you weigh five pounds less since I last saw you. At least you're trying to lose some weight, do you know what I have to do to trick Kris into going to the gym?"

"Well it would help if you had a small gym in your room." I remarked.

"Do you have a problem with movie theaters?" It wasn't a threat, more like a sarcastic remark.

"That is not what I said." I raised my hands up in defense. Once again, we joined in a unison of laughter. It died down quickly though as Kay became more serious.

"So… once the benefit is done and over with, are you still going to stay here?"

I raised my brow while shoving another spoonful of my cereal in my mouth as she asked that question. After swallowing what was in my mouth, I just stared at her confused. "Well, spring break just started. And I do want to spend more time with you two. But I also want to work more on my projects before I get back to the campus. Especially that animation project that's going to be due right when I get back. But I'm sure I can finish that here. So long as there isn't that much we have to do once the party is over."

Kay nodded, a bit solmely. "You know, you're more than welcome to come stay here with us."

Ah, so that's what the question was about. I placed my spoon back in the bowl and looked at her. Not sternly or disappointed, just with a blank expression. "You promised that you would let me try to live my own life."

"And we did!" Kay jumped to her defense. "I think you're doing well on your own, taking care of yourself and Oliver. But… we're worried you might be overworking yourself is all."

"And you don't think that's normal? Between my classes, my career path and the jobs you two give me for the nonprofit, not to mention taking care of Oliver. Of course I'd be swamped, but it's not like I complain about it. If it was that difficult, then I would ask for help. Have I ever asked anything from you two since mom and dad left? All I asked was I needed my own space and to be in the place I was raised."

"Kate…"

"I know Kris is worried about me. And I know you know I can handle myself, so why are you taking her side when you know there's no need to worry?"

"I'm not on her side! If anything, I disagree with her. But you know how she gets, over worrying. She takes up more traits from your mother than you do. I've been telling her not to worry, but she's been wanting to call David about the matter. We both know he'll say that you should live your life how you want."

"And you think she'll listen?"

Kay sighed as she rubbed her temple. "Look, the more you fight this the more you're going to make this worse. Nothing is set in stone, but I don't plan to keep you here against your will." I wanted to say more, but shut my mouth. She had a point, the last thing I wanted was to make this a bigger deal than it needed to be. The more I feed into this argument before it even got started, it would make me seem like I actually needed this! I didn't want to stay here with my sisters, not because I don't love them, but because I had to start learning how to live a life of my own. My sisters weren't always going to be there for me when I needed them most, so I had to start learning to fend for myself. Besides, with these dreams I've been having here alone, I didn't want to stay here too much longer.

?

It wasn't long until the three of us were driving off to go to the mall. Once I had finished breakfast, I rinsed out my dishes and got ready for the day. Kris soon got up once I headed back to my room to put on some clothes. I didn't want to talk with her that morning, it was too early and a lot was already on my mind. Mostly about the living situation she was trying to set up. I just walked into my room and shut the door, taking out my bag and dug in to take out an outfit. I slipped on a blue shirt with a kitty cat barfing out rainbows and place on some leggings that looked like skinny jeans. Since we would be clothes shopping today, I wanted to wear something both comfortable and something to get out of easily. I straightened out my clothes and smiled at my outfit. Sure, maybe my shirts were more nerdy than stylish, but they were warm and soft so I didn't care. I reached back into the bag to feel for some socks. My hand rummaged through the soft fabric of clothes until it hit something with a cold and hard surface. I blinked and grabbed ahold of the item, pulling it out and opening my palm to reveal what it was. My eyes went wide immediately as the silver banded ring was nestled in my palm. The red stone was gleaming though there was no light for it to reflect off of. I was immediately reminded of the man I had saved in the woods a few days ago. It had seemed like more than that at the time, because of how easily I had forgotten about him. Regret filled me as I looked back at the ring. I wondered if he was looking for it now. Was he even aware that it was gone? Would he care? It seemed like an expensive ring so that must have meant it held some value if not for money, then perhaps for a memento of a person or event.

All I knew was, I didn't want to leave it in my room by itself anymore. I knew it was stupid at the time, and it only made my situation far worse. But when we were all ready and hopped into the car to go to the mall, the ring was on my right index finger. It was a very large ring, so it didn't exactly fit. But it made it easier for me to twirl it around and contemplate about it. I still had no idea what this stone was that the ring had or why I had taken it. Why did I get this strange feeling whenever I looked at it? I leaned back in the seat and sighed, placing the ring and my hands in my lap. I stared out the window as the scenery went by. I wouldn't be able to figure it out at this rate and worrying about it wouldn't get me any further. I don't know why I was making such a big deal about this. Clearly the man wasn't too upset about the ring, if he was he would have gone through my house to find it himself and that didn't happen. I was overthinking this whole situation. I figured I had been stressed out due to working on my own animation project and the work of the party that it's causing me to lose focus. I made a mental promise to myself that that day I would only focus on shopping, even if that meant it might be boring.

The three of us pulled into the parking lot of the mall and walked inside to take a look around the stores that could be where we would find our dresses. We passed by a few stores, but didn't find any at first where what we were looking for our needs. The first store we went to was a JCPenney's. Not really a fancy store, but we didn't need a dress fit for a ball. And we weren't too picky with the design and the color, especially considering our body types.

"I wish we could have gone to Davids Bridals," Kris wined while pushing dresses from one side of the rack to the other. "Then we could get better dresses."

"Kris, if we had the money for that kind of store, we could live in Florida." Kay glanced at her.

"Besides, finding dresses in our size is a treasure hunt at that store." I added.

"Exactly." Kay agreed. Kris rolled her eyes as she went back to dress hunting. Also like my mom, my sister had expensive taste. Another reason why I didn't value shopping for fun. Sure, once in a while I'll buy something that does interest me like a game or some programs for my computer. But I'll also just want what I need like food or clothes that I want to eat and clothes I feel comfortable in. That was me though, I knew not everyone felt that way. We looked around the place for about a half an hour, looking for at least one dress for one of us. To our luck, Kay was able to find a dress in her size. It wasn't too fancy, but it was a pretty cute dress. A blue A-Line dress with cap sleeves, princess seams and sheer lace inserted around the hem of the dress.

"Is looks really pretty." I commented as Kay held up the dress towards her body, trying to imagine herself in it.

"It doesn't seem too dressy though." Kris noted as she looked at the dress.

"I'd rather buy a dress I know I can wear again, than have to buy one for one event and never put it on afterwards." Kay argued. "Besides, I like the style. I'm gonna go try it on and see if it fits. You wanna come to the changing room with me Kate?"

I nodded, following my sister-in-law to the dressing rooms on the far side of the store, leaving Kris to keep finding a dress for herself. The dress room had a bunch of small cubicles that had a black curtain drawn to give the people some privacy. Not only were there mirrors in the cubicle, there was also a large mirror wall at the end of the room. We found a spot close to the mirror wall, I sat down at one of the chairs and watched Kay entered the small room. "I'll try out this dress real quick. Fingers cross to see if it fits." She stepped in and closed the curtain behind her. I patiently waited in the semi-comfortable chair for her to return. I took this time to look back at the ring on my finger. The stone itself was strange, at times it appears dull like a normal rock that was just painted red. But as I looked at it so closely, there could be a small glow in the center. I wasn't too sure if it was just my eyes playing tricks on me or if maybe I was looking so closely into it, that I was seeing something that was obscured by the physical material. I shook my head slightly, thinking how deeply I was thinking over something that didn't matter.

' **Why am I pondering over a simple ring?'** I asked myself, though it was a question that held more of a deep meaning. I wanted to know what kind of stone this ring had. I've never seen such a strange rock, and learning about new things was always exciting to me. Then again, it mostly depended on what I was learning.

" **Do you understand me?"** I peeked my head up at the sound of that deep voice. I looked around but saw no one nearby.

' **Did… someone say something?'** I asked myself, but since there was no one in the waiting room with me, I began to doubt it. I knew it wasn't Kays' voice, because it sounded too deep. ' **Maybe I was just imagining it.'** I shrugged it off and leaned back in the chair. Soon enough, Kay opened up the curtains and before me was she wearing her dress. She twirled around as she walked up to me, like a runway model trying to sell a brand. I clapped as I saw the dress that not only fitted her well, but it looked really good on her. "It looks beautiful!" I complimented as a wide smile spread across my face.

"I'm not too into the color, but the style itself will suffice." Kay nodded to her dressy figure. Raising her head back up at me, she added. "I think this is the lucky winner!"

"Well, one outfit down!" I gave a thumbs up. "Progress is being made."

Kay turned around and headed back into the dressing room to get changed back into her regular clothes. I again waited for her to come back out, hoping it wouldn't take too long. Now that she had found her dress, it was just me and my other sister that needed to find our outfits. I just hope we wouldn't have to literally run around the whole mall just to find what we're looking for. Then again, I didn't want to spend the rest of the day back at home either. Other than to work on my animation project, I didn't want to stay at the house where the presences of those strange dreams still roamed in the air. It was so strange, I only knew a little about dreams and their meanings, but I had always thought that when one wakes up from such a deep sleep dream, they forget what their mind came up with that night. And if they can remember, it's usually vague or little details. Too be honest, I didn't really want to remember those dreams. They were horrible on more than one level. Eventually, Kay came back out in her comfortable clothes, causing me to look up due to the sound of the moving curtains. The dress was in her arm and she walked out of the cubicle. "Sorry that took so long, it seems it's easier for me to get into this dress than it is for me to get out of it."

"That always happens to me with fancy outfits." I assured her. "Don't worry, the more you wear it the more stretched out it will be."

"Well, I'm done with my shopping. We better go find your sister and see how her search is going."

I nodded in response. But before I could get up out of my chair, Kris came running into the dressing room with a huge grin on her face. "Guess who just found her perfect outfit?!" Her voice was high pitched, meaning that she was very pleased at the moment.

"The one who sounds like a chipmunk?" Kay cracked a laugh at her joke.

"I went through the clearance aisle, and they had this cute two piece outfit both in my size!" She held up her outfit for us to see. In one hand, she had a gorgeous and sassy 1940s style blouse in the color of a warm ivory. It had long ties around the neck, and my immediate thought was that this blouse was known as a"Pussy Bow" blouse, because the tie around the neck could be made into an ascot. I never really knew why they named the bow after that, but I never wore one so it didn't matter to me. Though the brand was probably overdue for a rename. In the other hand, it was a dark blue Grace Karin women's 50's Vintage petticoat crinoline tutu underskirt. I could tell by the ruffles alone. I realized that I was spending way to much time with Kris if I knew the brands of each outfit I saw. "Not really a dress, but I figured it would look professional with the blouse and a bit party like with the skirt."

"Only you can make professionalism and partying go together so well." Kay smiled, though not in a mocking tone, rather a very humorous one.

"Can you help me with the bow? I always suck at tying these fabrics."

"Alright, step right into cubicle number one." Kay gestured the booth and Kris went in. Kay followed behind her and closed the curtain. I sat back down in my chair and sighed. Looks like we were having some good luck today with finding out dresses. At this rate, we would be back home before noon. Though that was something I was dreading, being reminded once again of heading back there, falling asleep and going back to those dreams again. I shuddered just thinking about it. Maybe I should stay up a bit late tonight. I leaned back against the chair and looked up at the ceiling for a moment. It was hard to believe that spring break had barely started, and yet so much had happened. I try not to think about every detail too much, to block out certain moments. Some I haven't even told my sisters about, but it wasn't like telling them about it now would help the situation.

" **...back…"** I jumped at the sudden voice I heard earlier as it came back.

"Huh?" I looked around, but once again saw no one else that could have uttered those words. ' **Oh god, not again. Why am I hearing this voice?'**

" **Give… it… back…"**

I turned my head to stare at the mirror wall. I blinked and stared at it for a moment. Getting up from where I was, I headed over to the reflection and titled my head, pondering what drew me so close to this mirror.

" **Give it back."** The voice rang out, clearer and more louder this time as I was close to the reflective glass. I subconsciously raised my hand, placing the palm to the cool surface and looked at my reflection. For a moment, all I saw was a confused, young girl who thought she was going crazy. Until she was caught off guard by blood stained words that appeared in the mirror. I fell on my butt and looked back at the mirror, the red words had spelt out THIEF. I gasped as the letters formed the word right on the reflective surface. I forced myself back up and and took a few steps from the mirror wall, not taking my eyes off of it and the word.

"What… the… hell?" I stammered as I looked at the blood stained words sprawled out across the wall. Oh god, what is going on?!

"Kate?" I whipped around, seeing Kay peeking out of the curtain of the cubicle. "Are you okay? We heard something out here." I turned back to the mirror and to my surprise, and relief, the crimson letters were gone. I turned back to Kay and breathed a sigh.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just fell off my chair… must have been slippery." I tried to laugh it off, but by the raspiness of my voice, Kay could tell that something was amiss. To my luck, she shrugged it off and opened the curtain to reveal Kris in her outfit she picked out. The ties around the neck really helped make the blouse pop out. I wasn't too sure if the skirt fit well with the upper half, but it did match with the color scheme of the nonprofit.

"How does it look?" Kris asked, stepping out of the small cubicle.

"I can't tell if you're trying out for a teacher role or trying to go to a party." I admitted. She went over to the mirror wall and looked at every angle on her body.

"Will you stop judging yourself so much, you look fine." Kay assured her as she walked up from behind and placed her hands on either of her shoulder.

"I just want to make sure I make a good impression tomorrow. It'll be a big night for everyone and I'm in charge of it all."

"I think people are going to be more worried about how the event will go rather than what you're wearing." Kay pointed out, giving Kris a kiss on the cheek. Kris turned to her lover and smiled gently. I watched them making googly eyes at each other. I felt a bit uncomfortable how they would show their affection towards each other in public, like how my mom and dad did when I went shopping with them. But it made me see how happy they were when they were together. It made me wish that I had someone I could share moments like that with. Though who would want some dorky, puffy girl like myself as their girlfriend? Though I'm still pretty young, I doubted I would get anyone to love me that way soon.

I looked at my two sisters closely and my eyes soon caught their reflection in the mirror. But I was distracted by a strange figure that looked like he was standing right behind us. A man in a dark suit with very pale skin and black hair stood there. His hands behind his back as his bangs covered his eyes. I whipped my head quickly to see who he was but as soon as I turned myself away from the mirror and my sisters, he was gone. He wasn't behind me at all, and when I looked back in the mirror he was no longer there either. I thought I was over-imagining things due to the dreams I've been having these past few nights. But I wasn't too sure anymore.

Kris decided to buy the outfit for the fundraiser tomorrow and Kay was able to get her dress. All that was left was for us to find my outfit for tomorrow and we would call it a day. We headed out of JCPenney's since there wasn't any dresses or outfits that interested me there or fit me. We ended up walking around the mall for a while, getting sidetracked as we went on searching for another store where I could find a dress. We stopped by the food court and had lunch there, talking about the outfits we bought and Kris wondering if we should buy some jewelry and hair pins to go with our outfits for tomorrow. Kay tried to argue with her that buying those things were pointless because we didn't want to spend more money than we needed to, especially when we had lots of jewels and pins back at home. But Kris was determined to make sure we looked our best for the event. In the end, once we were done eating, we headed over to some jewelry stores and Kris spend about an hour trying to find the right gems to match her outfit as well as Kay's outfit. For Kay, she got sapphire earrings and a golden thin bracelet. Kris herself bought a pearl necklace and a large golden band of silver for each arm. Both Kay and I agreed that she was going overboard with this shopping experience. But we were powerless to stop her.

At least with that out of the way, we were back on track to finding my dress for tomorrow. As we walked through the mall, we passed by a Victoria's Secret. I looked inside and bit my lip, watching those models on the poster posing in their undergarments while many young women that could have been their twins paraded around the store, checking out the products they were advertising. I shoved my hands in my pocket and turned away from the store. Just seeing those women and being reminded of their commercials made me hate my body. Usually I don't let those kinds of things and people get to me, but lately it feels like those ads have been shoved down my throat more than I normally see. Maybe I should consider bumping up my workout time to an hour and a half every two days.

"Something troubling you?" I looked up and just noticed that Kay was walking right alongside me. I frowned and looked down at the ground. She must have seen the store I was looking at because I glanced up to see her looking straight ahead of me and smiled. Her hand reached out towards my hair and it ruffled my locks. I stared back up at her and she gave me a goofy grin. "You and me both, but there isn't much we can do kiddo. Everyone had their own body types, and we got stuck with the worst kinds. But those that only love you for your body is as shallow as a kiddie pool." That made me laugh, and we kept walking. One of the reasons I liked Kay was that no matter how down I was, she always somehow found a way to cheer me up. Mostly through her drawings and images she would make of me having a joyful time in an eccentric setting. She was the reason I wanted to get into drawing and animation in the first place. I knew my skills couldn't live up to hers, but knowing she supported my career choice and help give me tips made me want to try my hardest.

We went to a few more stores, but none of them had what I was looking for. After two hours of endless searching, we had finally found something. We went to The GAP and checked around at the clearance bins and asiles. It was Kris, shocker, who picked out a royal blue Seraphina polka dot prom dress from one of the racks. It looked like a 1950's dress with a polka dot fabric overlay. She handed it to me and I got a better examination of it. It had a fitted and lined bodice with a sweetheart neckline, a sash waistband with bow details, a flared skirt with pleats, the sleeve lengths were ¾ long and there were concealed zippers on the side. Meaning easier access for me to fit into this dress.

"So, what do you think?" Kris asked me, shining eyes waiting for a response. "I know it's a bit outdated, but I think it will look cute on you."

"I think it looks cute." Kay agreed. I looked back at the two, they clearly wanted me to chose this one. Not like they were giving me much of a choice anyways. I gave them a small smile and nodded.

"I'll go try this on in the dressing room. If it fits, we'll take it."

"Do you want us to come with you?" Kris asked.

I gave her an immediate answer. "No, I'll be fine. It won't take me that long to get dressed." I quickly dashed away before she could have said something else. I didn't look back, I just went straight to the corner of the store where the changing station was. I didn't want her to be with me at the moment for more than one reason. I just wanted to get out of this mall and go back to the house. That seemed to be the only place I felt safe at the time. As I walked into the fitting room, I looked around cautiously. Aside from myself, there was no one else here. I didn't see any strange figures dressed in black either. I was relieved to know that it was just me at the moment. All I had to do was go in, try on the dress and get out. It was as simple as that. I walked over to a random cubicle and closed the curtains of the booth, giving me some privacy. There was a large mirror hanging up on the wall of this small space, but I dare not look into it for fear I would see something else. Quickly, I undressed my own clothes and tossed them to a corner of the small space. Until I was only in my bra and underwear, I reached for the dress and began to put it on my skin. It felt comfortable as I slipped my arms through the sleeves, the fabric was loose but silky. Zipping up the dress on the side, I smoothed out the ruffles and turned to look into the mirror to take in my new dress. I had to admit, despite it being outdated, it looked fairly well on me. Even made me look skinny. Though the polka dots may not have been my first choice for a pattern design, the color and the style seemed to suit me. I was pleased to have finally found a dress that not only fit me, but also made me look presentable. I was sure that would be the dress I would wear for the event.

I made an effort to unzip the zippers on the dress, so I could take it off and head back to my sisters. As I reached for the metal piece, a soft whisper rang in my ear. " **...Don't blink…"** I paused and let go of what I was doing. ' **Huh?'** I scratched my head, was I hearing things again? " **Don't… move…"** I jumped upon hearing that voice again.

"W-who's there?!" I sounded scared and though I tried to be brave, it was clear I failed. With a shaky hand, I reached for the curtain and pulled it back. Peeking my head out and looking in the dressing area, I saw no one. I slowly pulled the curtains back and stepped back into the small space. "Okay Cosmo, calm down… it's just your imagination." I tried to assure myself. But it failed as the voice kept talking.

" **The New Ending… So Many Jumpscares… Relax…"** I began to panic as the voice didn't ceased. I covered my ears, trying to block out the voice as best as possible.

"I-It's just in your head… you're hearing things!" I was getting louder the more I tried, but failed to calm myself. "S-stop it! Stop doing this!" I attempted to fight it back. Thinking that if I showed it I was standing my ground, then perhaps it would see I wasn't a victim and would wander off. Whether it was my sanity breaking or someone playing a trick on me, I had to do something to get them off my back. I huddled in a corner of the cubicle, sinking down to my rear end and pressed my hands to my ears as hard as I could. Doing my best to block out the sounds, I waited for what seemed like minutes. I opened one eye and looked around, slowly, and moved my hands away from my head. I no longer heard that echoey voice anymore. I picked myself back up and sighed. I knew it had to have been my mind playing tricks on me. Or at the very least, whoever it was that was pranking me had saw I was no longer interested in their schemes. For a brief moment, I was filled with bliss at the sudden silence that surrounded me. I gently took off my dress and put on my regular clothes. For a moment, I thought it was all over. "Maybe I should take some medicine when I get back to the house." I told myself. I picked up the dress and reached for the curtain. When I opened it to head out, I yelped and fell back on my butt. Before my eyes, there was a floating box that had slanted eyes and jagged teeth. It was very small, but the way it appeared right behind the curtain freaked me out. "W-What?!"

The voice came back, louder this time. " **Error #53… Raspy Hill... Jumpscares and Blood… Monsters in the Deep… Do you have Scopophobia… The Live Stream has ENDED!"** I backed up further into the small cubicle. Covering my ears with my hands, closing my eyes, doing anything to stop this living nightmare I was facing. My breathing became shallow, my heart pounding in my chest, ready to burst. I wanted it to end! Why wouldn't it end?! My back pressed against the cool surface of the mirror. I turned around, opening my eyes to look at my reflection on the wall. Perhaps I wanted to look at my face, to see if I had any signs of insanity. Or maybe it was to see that it was all in my head. I didn't know why I turned towards the mirror, but I had hoped to find some comfort in the reflective image. I was wrong. Around me, everything was pitch black yet I could still see my hands in front of me. I stared into the mirror, waiting for what it would show. At first, my reflection, a young girl that was scared, confused, and alone. The wind in my lungs were nearly knocked out as letters started to from on the surface. Once again covered in the crimson that resemble blood. B. L. A. M. E.

I fell on my rear once again. my eyes glued to the word the mirror spelt out. What did it mean? What was the meaning of any of this?! " **All he needs is the darkness!"** The voice screamed out. I shook my head slowly in response. I didn't want this anymore. I wanted to get out. But the voice yelled at me one last time. " **All he needs is me!"** It was a fight or flight response, and my instincts told me to flee. So I did. I stood up, turned from the blood-stained mirror and dashed out. I opened my eyes as I was once again in the changing room station. I looked around me frantically, trying to calm down as my surroundings were familiar to me. I was back in The GAP. I was back in the real world. I looked at my right arm for a moment, wanting to make sure. I pitched the skin on my forearm, it hurt but it proved I wasn't dreaming. I waited and listened to see if that damned voice would speak again. Yet not a peep could be heard. The silence was welcoming to me. But the damage had already been done. My hands went immediately towards my eyes, wet streaks had been formed on my cheeks. When had I begun to cry, I didn't know. All I knew was that I didn't want to be here anymore. Quickly reaching into the station I was in, I grabbed my dress and walked away from the cubicles. My only goal was to get as far away from that place as possible.

?

It was nearly seven in the evening when we had returned home. When I had found my sisters checking out some more accessories for their outfits, I had told them the dress fit me and I liked it. They wanted me to go back so they could see me wear it, but I told them I didn't want to. I didn't want to go back to that terrible place. But I couldn't tell them the real reason why. I told them that I wasn't feeling well and wanted to go back home. Kris seemed a bit skeptical, but Kay stated that she noticed how pale I was looking. That was all it took to convince my sister to drive us home. Just walking through the door made me feel better. We had unpacked everything we bought and I had promised them that I would let them see me in the dress when we got back. I changed outfits, and they were pleased with the style.

For the next few hours, I helped out with making dinner and we ended up watching a movie. I wanted to do anything to get the events of today out of my mind. I tried not to think about them, but the more I pushed them aside, the stronger they would resurface. I did my best to put on a facade in front of my two sisters. The last thing I wanted was for them to worry about me and my hallucinations. With this event tomorrow, I would only be a hinder to them. Besides, I didn't want them to get involved in something not even I knew about. Once the movie was done, I told them I would retire early so I could be well rested for tomorrow. Kris agreed that that was a good idea, since tomorrow we'll have to go make sure the room for the party is ready and we would get ourselves all dolled up. I headed upstairs, Oliver by my feet. I walked into the kitchen and looked through the cabinet. Taking a few sleeping pills for myself and a bottle of water, hoping that alone would help me get some decent sleep and maybe protect me from those strange dreams. At least nothing bad happened when I was home. No voices, no vision's, just a normal, dull house.

I went to my room, changing into some nightwear and getting the bed ready. I glanced over at my work desk, where my animation project was. I didn't feel like doing any work on it. I was lacking motivation and I just wanted some sleep for a change. As I was getting into my pajamas, I looked at my hand and noticed the ring. I took it off, and shoved it back in my bag. I didn't know why I was getting upset over it. It was a piece of jewelry, what did it do to make me so mad at it? If only I had known back then. I set my alarm on my phone, making sure I would wake up early tomorrow since we would most likely head over there early to get everything set up. As I placed my phone on the table next to the bed, my eyes caught my journal resting there with my pen. I knew that writing it down wouldn't exactly solve my problem, but I had to vent to something!

 _April 20th, 2018:_

 _I think I'm going mental, more than usual. All day today I've been hearing voices and seeing hallucinations. I'm worried I might be becoming schizophrenic, as if autism wasn't bad enough. I know it's not real, but part of me is still suspecting that something strange is going on. I don't know what, and I wish I did. I know keeping this a secret from my sisters will only make things worse but I don't want them to worry. They have enough on their hands with the fundraiser tomorrow and I don't want to give them a reason for me to have to stay here with them. I've been doing fine on my own for a long while now, and I will not let it stop because of my overactive imagination. At least, I hope that's the cause of what is going on. I'm going to take some pills to help me sleep better, hopefully that might calm my dreams for a night so I can get some decent sleep. Now that I think about it, I'm beginning to wonder if my strange dreams might be connected with the strange visions and voices I've been hearing as of late. If that is true, then I wish I knew what these dreams were telling me. Maybe they could be the answer to stopping whatever is going on in my head. Now I regret not paying attention to the dream unit we had in Psychology. Either way, tomorrow I need to be on my best game for the fundraiser. If I can at least go the whole night without being interrupted by the strangeness, I won't ask for anything else._

I set my journal aside on the bed stand after finishing. I reached over and took the pills, swallowing them down with some water. They tasted nasty, but with any luck they would do the trick. I set the half empty bottle down and went to turn out the lights. Then I laid back down on my bed as Oliver cuddled into me. I looked up at the ceiling, emptying my mind. Soon enough, sleep overcame me.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

I felt… light. My whole body felt cold, and yet I was warm. The sounds of water filled my ears. Rippling tides washing against my body. I opened my green-blue eyes to get a better idea of my surroundings. I looked up and all I saw was a sky covered by one giant cloud of a light, gray shade. When did I get outside? I tried to move my head, but my body was frozen in place. Internally, I began to worry. I looked off to my side as far as my pupils could go to see where I was. My arms were spread out from my body and they were floating above water. I mentally gasped, for my voice was caught in my being. The waves kept lapping at my skin, yet they could not pull me down. I couldn't move… I couldn't speak… I was frightened. I just stood there, for a long while staring at the sky. I didn't know how long, time didn't seem to matter where I was. For all I knew, it felt like years as I drifted in water. I was fairly sure I was in the ocean at least, for the water was too large around me and very blue. It was different from the dreams I had the last few nights. But at the same time, I couldn't decipher the meaning behind it all. The strangest part was that after a while, I stopped fighting all together. I knew I was scared at first, but as the waves kept brushing up against me a strange sense of calmness overcame me. As if the water was literally washing away my problems. I figured I would just lay there in the water and let the waves take me to wherever they felt like going. My eyelids grew heavy and for just a brief moment, I felt like I was sleeping inside my own dream.

But the calm waters did not last. The waves around me began to grow stronger, pushing me further down. I snapped my eyes open, and this time my head was able to move. I looked around and saw the waves growing more furious and increasing ten fold. I began to panic as I tried to move the rest of my body, but failed. I held my breath as I looked above me, to see a tidal wave slowly rising up and coming down upon me. When the white foam mixed with the blue waters crashed onto my being, all I could see was the darkness.

?

I bolted up in the mattress. When I saw darkness and felt my skin wet, I thought I was still drowning in the ocean. But as I kept gasping for air, I was relieved to know I was back in my room. My skin was just glistening with sweat. Eventually, I was able to catch my breath and regain my composure. I raised my hand up to my forehead and sighed. It was so vivid, I could still feel the water on my skin. I didn't understand, the other dreams I had were connected in a sense and had a story or some meaning behind it that I could fathom. But… I was in the water and I was drowning? Was that supposed to be some sign of me being weighed down by the stress? I wasn't sure what to think. All I knew was that I believed I was losing it. I reached over to my bedside and grabbed the bottle of water. I was planning to take a drink, to calm myself down and settle my stomach. When I lifted it however, I could feel how light it was. More accurately, there wasn't anything in there. I was confused because I was sure there was still some water left in the bottle before I began to sleep. I sighed, realizing I would have to get up to go get another bottle. I threw back my covers, Oliver not caring as I stepped onto the floor and walked through the darkness towards the kitchen. I felt so tried, and could hardly see, but somehow I was able to get to the refrigerator and grab another bottle of water.

I chugged it down like I was half fish and needed my hydration. After finishing up the whole bottle, I tossed it into the trashcan and took a breath out. I didn't even know what time it was, but I didn't care. I just wanted to go back to my room and crash to get some sleep. I began my way down the hallway, but I didn't make it to my room. Instead, I was for some reason facing the closed door that lead to the bathroom. I didn't know why I went there, I didn't need to use the toilet. Maybe it was because I wanted to check my face out to see if I was physically becoming ill. Even though I knew that looking into mirrors hadn't been the best choice for me. Regardless, my hand opened the white door and I walked right into the tiny space. I turned on the lights, the bathroom seemed normal at first.

Until I looked over at the mirror and covered my eyes with my arms when the to familiar bright light and noise of shattering glass came from the sink. When the shattering stopped, I looked up to see the broken mirror before my eyes as light emitted from the cracks. I stared as the light blinded me and caused me to see white around me.

?

The intense light faded from my being and upon opening my eyes, I looked around to see if everything was still in place in the bathroom. Well, I was in a bathroom, just not the one from the house. Immediately I knew where I was, and I was not pleased. ' **Great, I'm back in this manor again. Seriously?! We're still doing this? The first two times were fine, but now we're just milking it.'** I mentally sighed as I stared down at my fancy figure. Well, I was losing my sanity at that point. Might as well play along and see how far that dream would ruin my mentality further. ' **If I remember correctly, I came in here after reading over the files of Marks' alter egos. I wonder how the Detective is holding up?'** I turned towards the door after thinking about it. I figured I might as well go and see how the guy was doing. I didn't know how the time difference worked when I woke up and when I fell asleep. As far as I knew, it was like everytime I woke up from this dream, the whole case was put on pause like a movie. I was probably only gone for a few seconds and not really a whole day. Meanwhile, time was still going smoothly out there in the real world. ' **This really must be some sort of "Inception" cliche going on.'** I thought to myself.

Gaining myself up, I walked out of the bathroom and headed back into what was supposedly Marks' room to see if the Detective had done anything, which I doubted he did, since I had been gone for about… twenty seconds. I checked into the room, the Detective was looking at the screen that Googleplier displayed. He must have heard me coming up towards him, for he turned to face me. "Feeling better?" he asked me.

"Y-yeah…" I answered. "How much have you discovered?"

"Enough," Mick stated. "But there's a few questions left unanswered. And frankly, it's a bit unsettling."

"Unsettling?" I questioned.

"Why would Mark have files about all of his friends on this… man device? A lot of them have so much detail as well."

I had to agree with him on that part. While I knew it seemed like something out of a wiki, the Detective thought there was more to it. Perhaps there was, but I didn't know at the time. "Do you think this might be connected to why Mark wanted us all here last night?"

"I'm starting to believe there really was more to that party than he let on." The Detective agreed. "It feels like we're close to the answer, but we're so far away to the point we can't see it."

"Well, what were you able to find out from the files?"

The Detective got serious and placed his fingers under his chin to think. "Most of them seem clean according to the files. I'm a little skeptical about that Wilford fellow. Luckily he's not here, so we don't have to worry about him." Looks like the Detective didn't do a good job of reading over all the files. If he looked closer at Wilford Warfstache file, he would have known that he was a safari hunter like the Colonel and also a veteran from a war. Come to think of it, wasn't Colonel a status one would receive in the military ranks as well? There had to be a connection between this Warfstache fellow and the Colonel from this manor. I wanted to tell him this, but he went on talking before I could interject. However, I made sure to keep this information in the back of my mind, believing it would come back up again later. "The Host seems to be the one we should keep an eye on. His profile is a bit shady and I wouldn't put it past me to think he knows more about what's going on than he leads on."

When the Detective mentioned the Host, I was immediately thinking back to when I first arrived here. How he told me that I shouldn't have come here and that I would need to take certain actions when something would happen. Could it be possible that he knew that these murders would take place? Thinking back on his look, he did look like some villain out of a horror movie. Perhaps the Detective wasn't as far off about the idea that the Host might know more than he was leading on. "In that case, we should go find him and see if we can get some answers."

"You better go on ahead. I'll stay here with this robot and see what else I can figure out from him." Somehow, I knew he was going to let me do the work. But he did have a point about wanting to stay with Googleplier. If we lost him, we could lose all the information we had. And the fact that we were so close to figuring this out, we couldn't lose our only advantage. I nodded towards him and made my way towards the door to head out. I hadn't seen the Host since last night, so I didn't know where he was. But I had a fairly good idea where he might have been at the time, the library. That was the first place I had met him and chances are, considering his profession, he might be there. As I opened the door and was about to step out into the hallway, I came face to face with one of the suspects with a questionable past.

"Ah, Miss Leer. We really must stop running into each other like this." The Colonel joked.

I would have been scared, but I should have known something would have waited for me beyond that door. I just didn't imagine it would be right outside or the Colonel for that matter. "What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"After Bim's untimely death, I wanted to see what you and the Detective were up to. Have you gotten any leads on the murderer yet?" a roar of thunder sounded as he asked that question.

"That information is confidential to only the Detective and myself. Even if we did know something, we can not tell the suspects. However, I am heading off to the library to talk to the Host. If you wish to come with me, I will not stop you."

A twinkle shined behind those circular glasses of his as his mustache curled up, indicating his happy exterior. "Well then, off we go." The two of us descended out of the room and headed towards the destination. I was practically walking with a madman at that point, but I wasn't scared. I kept reminding myself that this was a dream, I was more than aware of that now. And if he were to kill me in this dream, then I would just wake up. While I was at it I might as well take the advice of the Detective, keep your enemies close. If the Colonel was hiding something and was the most likely to have killed Mark and the others, then the only way I would find out was to ask him myself without coming off like I really was interrogating him. As we walked around the manor, the silence between us became too much so I immediately thought up of a subject.

"So… how are you holding up?" I weakly asked.

"Whatever do you mean?"

I sighed. "It's one thing to lose Mark, but you've also lost Ed and Bim as well. Aren't you… upset?"

The Colonel remained silent for a moment, pondering his response. That was new for him. He soon gave me an answer. "It is clear that this manor is not safe, especially with a murderer on our midst." There was once again the sound of thunder. "However, I for one am not worried." He patted the side of his pocket where his gun rested in his hostler. "If I ever do meet the killer, he better have a bulletproof vest on him if he wants to take me down."

There was no doubt that the Colonel was intentionally making himself look like the culprit, it was so obvious I didn't want to believe it. Still, I had to make sure to tread carefully around him, especially with that gun of his. I'm sure he won't hesitate to kill even a lady in such a bloody way. I try not to let him see, but I was nervous just being around him. Still, if he knew chances are he might take offense to that and he seemed unstable enough as it was. Soon we made it to the entrance of the library. As we entered, memories of last night came flooding back into my mind relating to what the Host said. I brushed them off quickly though, remembering the reason why I was here. I began to look around the book room to try and find the Host. He might be at the desk I saw him in last night. As I walked, the Colonel was right behind me, following my every move. Again, it was unnerving having him be so close to me, but I couldn't just tell him to leave. I mean, I could but I didn't want to know what the consequences were should I try. I walked by the shelves of the books to see where the desk was again. I couldn't remember too many details of this room, since I had only been here once and was distracted by the books and the Host.

I was able to find a small fireplace with two plushed chairs in red in a small reading area. My feet brought me to that small place to see what I could find. There was wood in the small fireplace, it was all charged and black and the scent of smoke still lingered in the air. ' **Strange,'** I thought as I smelt the scent of flamed pinewood. ' **The fireplace must have been recently used. That means the Host must be nearby.' I** was a bit happy to know that my intuition had brought me to the right place. I looked over the small reading area to see if I could find another clue. I noticed a loose leaf paper that laid there on the table in between the two chairs. My eyes looked over at it and I made my way to the small wooden table to pick it up. Someone had written on it, and when I read it the paper told of a story.

 _ **The Birth**_

 _ **Before there were humans and animals, before there was land and water, even before there were planets and stars, there was nothing. The universe was a vast, empty space of darkness. You couldn't even feel the cold that radiated from the jet, black space. For not even temperature existed.**_

 _ **It was only through a large explosion in the center of the universe that light began its long journey across the space. Out of the explosion came a beautiful being whose body radiated with a shining aura that would blind those that would do wrong, but if those were kind enough and for those who had lost hope, her light was a blessing. She was the Light. Her body glowed in the darkness, filling the empty void with herself. The brighter she shone, the less of the darkness surrounded her. Light spread her own specks of herself across the void, letting them grow on their own. Some of the light remained small and only sparkled for a while before evaporating into dust. Others however expanded into the large proportions and created the universe.**_

 _ **Eventually, Light was everywhere. When she had taken over the void, she had trapped some of the Darkness in herself. Because she knew that the Light can only exist if the Dark exists. At the same time, without Light, there is no shadows.**_

I read over the small page, I was kind of intrigued by the small story. It sounded like some sort of prologue for a book, maybe something along a mythical variety. Heck, this might have been the start of some sort of religious cult. Still, it was pretty entertaining. ' **This looks like something I might write,'** I thought to myself. ' **But what is this doing here? And what does it mean? I wonder if the Host wrote this. Maybe this was part of his story he was working on last night? Not really sure how this would help me or what this explains though.'** Regardless, I carried the page with me and placed it in the bra of my dress, since I didn't have any pockets. I wasn't sure why I kept it with me, but I wanted to know more about the story. I thought I would just give it to the Host should it did belong to him.

"Cosmo," I turned around upon hearing the familiar voice. Damien stood behind me, cane in his hands as he had a look of shame on his face yet he stood there confident.

"Damien… what are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Have you seen the Colonel? I need to speak with him. I may have been a little short at our last encounter." He explained.

"Yeah, he went off to the end of the library. We came here looking for the Host."

"The Host?" Damien raised a brow.

"Y-yeah… we looked over some of Mark's files in his room. They had information about everyone in there, but the Host had a questionable record. So the Detective wanted me to talk to him."

"I see…" Damien looked away from me as he gripped his cane tightly.

"You don't think he would have reason to do this, do you?"

Damien grew pale and his whole hand was trembling yet he tried to keep his grip on his cane. "I don't want to suspect any of my friends as a killer, but the Host is very mysterious. He tends to be in his own world where he claims to have power. He acts as if whatever he writes comes to life, perhaps that is more true than I perceive."

"Did he ever write any books relating to mystery or murder?" I asked, as a sound of thunder finished my sentence.

"Not that I'm aware of, though his stories do include torture on the mental level. It wouldn't surprise me if he were to write a book based on what happened here." Damien and I shivered at the very thought. It was one thing to make a book or film based on true events. But if you were the one that caused these said events just to have an excuse to make such a piece of fiction, that alone would give you a bad reputation. I wasn't sure if the Host could be capable of such bloody deeds though, I hadn't really gotten the chance to get to know him as well as I have with Damien and the Colonel. But the more I kept thinking about his words, the more I began to believe that if he wasn't the killer, he must have known something was going on behind the scenes of this manor. I only hoped that if we found him, he would be cooperative and tell us what we needed to hear. Unfortunately, things didn't go the way I hoped.

Damien and I turned our heads in a direction of the library upon hearing a scream echo through the rows of shelves. We looked at each other for a moment before we picked up our feet to head in the direction of where the scream came from. Making our way through the small maze of bookshelves we soon came across the Butler. His face was pale as one of his gloved hands covered his mouth. His eyes were transfixed upon a wooden desk, where the Host sat upon last night and where his body rested on the top.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The Hosts' body was sprawled out on the desk, one of his arms dangled off the wooden table. His mouth was slightly opened, revealing only the teeth. I knew right away that the Host wasn't taking a small nap, the Butlers' expression was enough to confirm.

"What happened?" I looked up to the Butler, knowing he was the only one around here that had the answers. He stared at me, brown eyes wavering as he removed his hand from his mouth. He stammered a bit, but tried his best to answer the question.

"I-I came in here w-wanting to see how the Host was doing. H-he hadn't left this room s-since he arrived here. I-I came upon the desk h-he was writing at and thought h-he was sleeping but…" He didn't need to explain further. My eyes went back to the new victim this manor had claimed. That was four now, and chances are the murderer wouldn't stop there. I glanced over at Damien, seeing how he was handling the situation. He was shaking just as the Butler was.

"I-I… I don't know what to say…" Damien shook his head. "First Mark, then Ed, Bim and now the Host? Who is doing this to us and why?!"

"Damien, please try to calm down." I attempted to settle his nerves, but failed as he looked back at me with pure horror written on his face.

"How can I be calm when my friends are dying?!" I stepped back, his rising voice caught me off guard. I knew he was feeling upset, confused and even lost. He wanted answers but I couldn't provide them for him. I looked down at the ground, there wasn't enough courage inside of me to try and look him in the eyes.

"I'm sorry… I don't know who is killing everyone here or why. But I will get to the bottom of this, I feel we're so close to finding the answer but there's still pieces to this puzzle missing." I answered as honest and calm as I could. I didn't know how I was able to be so subtle about the situation in front of the only one I could trust in this dream state. Maybe because I knew it was a dream, it didn't affect me as much. But every time I look at Damien I feel as if my life was truly on the line. Like for a brief moment part of me believed that this illusion I was in really mattered not just to me, but to Markiplier and those that cared about him. I turned my head to face the Butler. "I need you to go and find Dr. Iplier so he can examine the body. We need to figure out how he died if we can figure out who the killer is." A curt nod from the Butler and he walked off, form still shaking but he managed. It was my turn to investigate the crime scene and see what I could find. As I looked closer at the face of the Host, the bloodstained blindfold covering his eyes and moving towards the mouth, I noticed that there were traces of blood speckled on his lip and chin and some splatters were scattered around his head on the desk. It made me question what kind of death the murderer gave him. My eyes wandered over to a small blue, glass container that was where his other hand laid on the desk. I reached over and held it in my hand, examining it for a moment with only my eyes.

"What is it?" Damien asked as he leaned over me to get a good look at the bottle I held.

"I dunno…" I said at first. I took off the crystalized cap and held the opening of the bottle to my nose to take a sniff. I immediately regretted my action as I withdrew the container from my nose and scrunched up my face. It smelt like rotting bile as the scent entered my passage way. Damien was curious and grabbed the bottle from my hands to take a sniff. He had the same reaction I did and placed the contianter of terrible liquid back onto the desk.

"That smell was wretched." He gagged out his words. I nodded towards him as I tried to clear out that smell from my nose.

"It definitely doesn't seem to be some sort of cologne a man would wear for the ladies." I sarcastically remarked as I shook my head to clear it of the awful stench. Once I was rid of it from my nose, I looked back over at the bottle. My eyes drifted from the container to the bloodied mouth of the Host. With widened eyes, I suddenly thought of a theory. "N-no way…"

"What?" Damien asked, concern filling his voice once again. I turned back to face him, fear written on my face now.

"I-I think the Host died from whatever was in this bottle." I grabbed the small container again and looked inside the clear glass to see the liquid taking up the volume of the container.

"Poison?" Damien immediately thought.

"I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty confident that being poisoned is a likely caused of his death. But…" I took another look around the desk and more questions began to rise. "There… isn't any food or drinks here."

"Is that really relevant?" Damien asked.

"Well usually when someone is poisoned, the culprit will taint something for them to consume for them to die. It's basically Mystery 101 and something I learned from Forensics. Hiding the poison in food or clothing helps it go undetected easily if not conducted with a full blown investigation. The killer has been smart enough to evade us this long, I don't think he would take his chances."

"Are you sure the Host had to have eaten something poisonous?" Damien questioned. "Perhaps the perpetrator only forced him to drink the poison?"  
I shook my head. "There's no sign of any struggles and everything in this area seems to be in order. If the Host was forced to taking the poison, he would have put up a fight."

"Then perhaps the killer took away what he used to poison the Host?"

"Perhaps, but that would have to determine when he was killed. The only one that was in here and the only one that serves anything was the Butler, but he didn't have any food or drinks present with him. And, let us say that the killer was quick enough to gather the food and drinks, why would he take the items that were tainted and not the bottle itself? With the bottle, it will be easier to determine what kind of poison was used to kill the Host and would get us closer to who killed him. That seems like a poor move on his part."  
"So… if the poison wasn't in the food, how did the Host die?"

I shrugged as I tried to come up with other conclusions. "Well, poison can be taken and used in many different forms. The killer could have easily drench the Hosts' clothes with the poison so it would enter through his skin or injected it into his system with a syringe. But…"

"But?" Damien wanted me to go on, however I knew that the other possibility was so horrid he would be offended. Still, I had to say it.

"It… might be possible that the killer wasn't behind this. If there really was no sign of a struggle, the Host would know he was being poisoned. But… without any indication of a mess or some sign that he was in pain and wasn't aware… maybe he knew what was happening to him."

"Cosmo, what are you saying?!"

"I believe… the Host might have poisoned himself."

He was in such a shock, Damien didn't know what to say. I knew I was jumping to conclusion without any clear evidence, but at the same time I couldn't rule anything out. He backed away from me, hand resting on his forehead as he tried to process what I just said. I was giving him time to think which allowed me to check the desk for any other clues. My eyes noticed something that was resting under his hand. I gently reached for it and took it out. It was a small journal with a brown leather cover that had a metallic lock that latches onto the cover to keep it close. Was this the Hosts' journal or another story he was working on? There was only one way to find out. Taking the close clip off, I opened the cover and read the first page.

" _Ever since the night her parents died, the memory of crimson liquid and terrifying monsters had plagued her mind for nearly two years. The young girl had isolated herself since she had graduated high school, feeling that she could not stand the idea of losing anyone else important to her. Despite her disability, she was able to form a conductive routine for herself on her own. With certain conditions from her siblings of course."_

"This must have been the story the Host was writing yesterday. Strange, it sounds familiar…" I noted to myself as I kept reading.

" _However, all would not stay the way it was. Little did the blonde woman know that on this day, her life would steer to a route that no mortal would dare venture. Upon walking into the abandoned mansion in the desolated woods, she would find herself caught in the fight between two demonic entities. Both fighting for a mythical treasure that with its' power, would grant anyone their soul desires. Escaping the fight, she watched from afar as green and red beings savagely went at each other like animals fighting for the territory. Realizing that staying there would not be safe, she rode off on her bike and locked herself in her house. But upon that morning, she would find herself back to that manor. At least, what was left of it now that the walls and levels of the building have turned to ruble. It was there she would end up meeting the very same being that would pave the road she would be walking down. But her heart called out to her that she wanted to help this man, so she did. Bringing him back to her house to stitch him up."_

"Okay… this is really starting to sound familiar…" I was getting a strange feeling as I read this story and I was scared that this might be going somewhere. I skimmed over a few pages to try and see what else I could find. My eyes soon drifted a page that was slightly familiar.

" _... The young girl was staring at the man writing at the desk. She had no idea that he was more interested in writing the story that was playing out, that he was tuning her out completely. The girl was confused by the man's actions as he kept writing on the paper. But at the same time she was also intrigued with what he was doing she could not keep her eyes off of him and his work. She backed away, caught off guard at the idea of what the man was writing about. But she shook off the thought, thinking it was just a coincidence that her reactions and thoughts were mirroring the character he was writing about. The Host stopped his work to look up at the girl, upset that she was interrupting his work. She apologized, but that wouldn't save her. The Host had warned her about the position she was in, that by being here would spell out consequences for her. She had no idea the real reason why she was summoned to this manor, and the question that hung around the Host like that of death, what actions would she take when the time comes?"_

My whole body felt cold like ice as my eyes finished looking over the paragraph. I had realize now why this story sounded so familiar to me, because it was my life the Host was writing about. I remembered having the conversation with him last night when I first entered the library. How he warned me where I was and the dangers that would come my way. He was foreshadowing this murder mystery party! The Detective was right, the Host knew more than any of us lead on. He even knew about me and everything that happened in my life. It was ominous that an outsider I do not know, an alter ego no less, would know what happened to my parents, where I went and what I saw in the forest and how I felt at this very moment.

I flipped over to the last page, trying to find out what it was he wrote last. Upon getting to the last written pages, there was a message for me by the Host himself.

" _Hello Miss Leer… or should I say, Cosmo since that is the name you like to be called."_ Again, I could feel my body losing the warmth as I read the first sentence of his last message. But I forced my eyes to keep reading. " _You still have no clue what is going on, even after what has befallen you. Then again, I do not expect you to understand so easily. You haven't even scratched the surface of this case yet and I highly doubt you will be able to survive long enough to find the answers you are looking for. In the meantime, I hope you like this message I will give you, consider it a gift to help you find a more safer route for you to take. I highly doubt you will seem to appreciate it, but I want to leave behind some legacy before my untimely death. You see, by now you probably realize who… or rather what the other guests and I are. We are just manifestations of Markipliers' characters that he has played on his channel over the years. Some of us are just babbling idiots that are just there for a comic relief. But there are those, like myself, that inspire a very… dangerous perception on Marks' acting. In fact, a few of us have even been granted powers thanks to our creators imagination. For example, I was created to be an author of many best sellers, according to the profile Mark gave me when he was playing me in Danger In Fiction. Unfortunately, my powers… my books, have been stained and mared because I was played as the villian. Whatever I wrote, happens in real life. And many people fell victim to my abilities. I tested it on two unlucky individuals and one of them became so crazy they were trapped in an insane asylum. And the other… well, no use getting lost in the past when it got you nowhere. It certainly didn't get them anywhere._

 _"_ _Now you might be wondering to yourself, how can I possibly know all of this? Well, I've also been gifted with the knowledge of our creator and my purpose. And I assure you, I am not the only one. I will be as straight to the point as I possibly can, for time is running out for me. I know who is killing off the other egos and Mark, though the reasons why are unknown even to me. While I could tell you who it is, I have a feeling that even if I were to write down the name, it would somehow end up blocked by his powers. In fact, chances are he may come for me next and kill me off like the others before and the next victims. But I will claim my own life before he can claim it. It does not matter should I perish here, I have already left behind my own legacy in the public's eyes. And I am not real, so death for me is inconsequential. However, for you, should you die here in this state there is no telling what effects it could have on you in both physical and or mental aspects. I advise you to be very cautious Cosmo… for if you take one misstep you may end up seeing the killers' face as your last sight before you take your dying breath. Heed these words young one, do not be so trusting, especially to those whom may seem like they are your allies. They may know a lot about you, but can you say the same thing about them?"_

The words that were written on the paper, the ones left by the Host made me really examine the situation I found myself in. So he was aware of what he really was all this time and he knew that Mark was his 'creator' as he called him. The Host also seemed to have some knowledge on who the killer could have been, but rather than tell me he just left me a vague piece of advice. Wisdom was the last thing I needed, what I needed was answers. What stood out to me though was what he said about the name of the killer. Even if he wrote the name down, he mentioned that it would be blocked by the killers' power. The way he said that, it made the wheels in my brain turn. Blocked… come to think of it, I remembered that when I was looking at the files of the alter egos, there was a certain file that had pieces of the information blacked out. That file… the one titled 'Dark'. Could that be what the Host was getting at? I had to go back to Googleplier and recheck the file again, see if what I could find was true. However, my eyes caught sight upon the last sentence of the page that the Host wrote as his last words.

" _This is my last work that will be left behind before I take my poison. However, my last advice to you young woman, is to stay alert. For unbenounced to you, the killer has many tricks up his sleeve he will use to keep his identity a secret. In fact, I am fairly sure that he is making his way to the Detective to dispose of any evidence that you have… and his method will involve blunt force trauma."_

I dropped the book in my hands as the words sunk into my skull. The Detective… he was guarding the only source of information we had and I allowed him to guard it while I went to find the Host. He's probably been there for a long while now. "Oh no… what kind of decision did I make?!"

"Cosmo?" Damien questioned as he stood there. I didn't respond to him nor gave him time to respond. I hurried out of the library and ran through the manor and up the stairs to get back to Marks' room.

' **What was I thinking?! Leaving that inexperience Detective to look after the only source of information we have! Even if the killer didn't get to him yet he probably already lost it by now!'** I thought to myself as I ran the last step and barged in through the door to head inside the room. Sure enough, the first thing I saw was the Detective lying face-first on the floor. I ran up to him and knelt down to shake his body awake. "Detective! Detective, wake up! Please tell me you're okay!"

To my relief, after a minute of shaking the Detective moaned and opened his eyes. He lifted himself with his arms and looked up to meet my eyes. "Partner… when did you get here?"

"Just now," I answered as I helped him up on his feet. "What happened?!"

The Detetive reached behind his head and rubbed the back of it as he had a face of pain. "I was looking through those files again to see if I had missed any important information. The next thing I knew, someone hit me in the back of my head and caused me to black out. I dunno how long I was out for though."

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, head hurts like hell though, but I'm glad I wasn't the next one to be murdered." A roar of lightning came from the outside as he said that word. He let his hand fall to his side and sighed. "Any luck with the Host?"

I looked down to the ground as I explained what happened to the Host. "Not really… he took some poison and ended up dying in the library. The Butler found him like that and me and Damien saw for ourselves. I guess he knew his time was coming but he didn't want to be killed by the monster."

"Can't say I blame him. Suicide would be an option to someone in this situation." The Detective somely noted.  
I looked around the room and noticed the one thing that was missing. "Where's Google?" the Detective looked around the room and noticed it as well.

"Shit… the one that hit me must have taken Google. He was our only source of information to!"

"Maybe we can see if there are any clues the killer left behind here." I suggested.

"Good idea," he nodded and began searching the mess of the room again. I searched as well, hoping that there would be something the killer left behind to tell us at least where he took Google. Though I didn't have to look very far, once I had gotten to one of the windows, I noticed the shards of glass scattered around the small area. I looked to see that the window itself was broken and knew immediately what I had to do. I stomped on the glass, thank goodness I was wearing high heel shoes, and looked through the window to see what horrors await me. To my dismay, what I saw horrified me. Floating face down in the water of the pool below was none other than Google himself. I gasped and took a step back from what I saw. Mick came towards me upon my gasp and looked down to see the floating tech-guy. We both looked at each other for a moment before we both bolted out of the room and made our way outside to get to the pool. Mick knelt down next to the edge of the pool and reached out to grab one of the arms. He pulled the body closer to him and took the form out of the water, laying him on the concrete. His body was drenched by the water and his eyes were closed, somehow his glasses were still intact on his face. Mick bent down to take the pulse, but after a minute he shook his head. "We lost him."

Both of us sighed at the same time, but I was the first to talk. "So much for our source of information. He was the only one that gave us a clue to what was going on."

"Looks like we're going to have to start back from the beginning." Mick stated as he stood up. I was afraid he was going to say that. Just when I thought I was close to putting an end to this madness, somehow something always puts me back to where I started at the last minute. I was thankful for my mental notes though, because I had a feeling I knew who was behind this, but I didn't know who exactly it was. Based on the file titled Dark and the suicide note the Host left behind, I was certain that this Dark character might be behind this event or that he somehow had a part to play in what was going on. But I didn't know a Dark from Marks' egos, though he did sound familiar. The one time I needed my inner fangirl she had been replaced by my serious side. Why do I always have to choose between one or the other? Why can't I somehow get them to work together? Oh right, emotion and logic can never get along.

"What is the meaning of this?!" the Detective and I turned around, seeing the Butler walking up to us and the new victim.

"This house just gained two new wandering souls to its' collection." The Detective bluntly stated.

I walked up to the two men and spoke. "I told the Detective about the Hosts'... death. The Host ended up poisoning himself and he left behind a warning note about Google. By the time I came up to check on the Detetive, he was knocked out and Google drowned in the pool."

The Butler placed a hand on his heart, his body was shaking and his words were stuttering. "M-mercy me… how many more will there be?!"

"We're doing everything we can to try and find the murderer," Mick was interrupted by another thunder blast. "But we still don't have enough to go on. My partner mentioned that you were trying to find the Doctor to see what poison the Host took."

"Yes, that's why I came out here. I am unable to find the Doctor." The Butler admitted. "I've searched the whole house but he is nowhere."

"Maybe you just didn't look hard enough." The Detective thought.

The Doctor was missing now? Did that mean he was going to become the next victim? There had already been two deaths since I came back here, and a total of five deaths so far. How many more deaths must there be before the killer had his fill of bloodlust? Or would he not rest until all of us were deceased, including myself? I turned my attention away from the Butler and Detective for a moment, looking around trying to take in the landscape. Thinking how much this mansion had been stained by the blood that has been shed inside its' walls. While I was aware I was in a dream state, I felt that the more I was here the more danger I was putting myself in. Maybe the Host was right, there was still so much I didn't understand of what was going on. My eyes landed on something far away from where I was. It was a figure of a person in black. That was all I could see before the figure looked my way and started to run off.

"Hey!" I shouted at the figure, but they didn't stop. Without thinking about it, I picked up the dress I was in and ran in my high heels where the figure was running off. I heard the Detective called out to me, but I didn't listen to him. The heels made it very difficult for me to run at my usual pace. Even though I wasn't one for physical activity, but I still knew the basics of running. I began to hate wearing what I had on because it made the chase more than a hasle. Still, I knew I wasn't seeing things. I knew there was someone that was watching us from the far end of the manor. I didn't know who it was at the time, but I knew they had to have had some part to play in these murders. I ran to the edge of the stone platform the house rested upon, and took the stairs to go down to a grassy backyard that was well kept. Taking glances around, I began to notice where exactly I was in this house. It looked like some sort of golf course with the setup and the flags everywhere. I took a look around to see where the figure went, stopped as I realized they were nowhere in sight. I took a few deep breaths to try and regain my air, giving me time to look around the golf course. "Where did they go?" I asked myself. My feet were killing me from all that running, wasted breaths of air that got me nowhere other than to a miniature golf course. "Why does Markiplier have a golf course? The only time he ever played golf was on the computer with his friends… How much stuff does one mansion need?"

I was getting annoyed at this whole situation, but myself as well. I was mad at myself for going into this mansion without the slightest idea of the consequences that would follow. It made me realize my regret of coming here or at least allowing these dreams to progress. Why did I even agree to come here again? I didn't remember at that point, and nor did I care anymore. All I wanted was to just get out, alive! I walked around where I was, probably hoping that maybe I could catch a clue of the murders down here. I must be desperate for answers if I was just aimlessly walking around the golf course. But my wandering eventually found me with yet another victim. As I kept walking, my shoe made a strange squishing noise when I stepped on the ground. I looked down and to my horror, realized I had stepped in blood. The smell was all to familiar and it was still fresh in the air. My eyes slowly followed the trail of the crimson to the source of a lifeless body in a white lab-coat.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

I immediately took a couple of steps back from the scene before me. But my eyes were still glued to the corpse that laid before me. The gaping expression on the Doctors' face, the blood that soaked through his shirt and even white coat and the overwhelming urge I had to try not to vomit. You would think after seeing so much murder going on around this place, seeing a dead body wouldn't be so shocking to me anymore. Yet it still terrified me as I gazed upon Dr. Ipliers' corpse, perhaps that was a sign I was still sane yet. I suppose it also meant that me chasing after that figure wasn't for nothing, at least now we knew where the Doctor went.

"Partner!" I could hear the Detectives' voice behind me. I turned to see both him and the Butler running towards me and the body. The Detective looked at me as if he was about to say something, but he then glanced over to the Doctor and he instantly had a disgusted face. "Jesus Christ…"

The Butler looked over at the Doctor as well as the two of the men walked closer to the body. "He was a good Doctor as well. He was always straight to the point, especially about breaking the news when a patient was dying." The Butler moaned.

"The killer must be stepping up his game if he's killing so many people together in the hour."

"Six victims now…" I whispered. "Six people have already died."

"And chances are, there will be more." The Detective noted as he began to examine the body. He tore away the Doctors' shirt to get a better look at the skin to see what the wound was. I looked over his shoulder as he examined the hole that still gushed out a bit of blood, but most of it was already starting to dry. The Detective pressed down around the wound hole and bit his lip.

"Well, how did he die?" The Butler wanted an answer.

"A bullet to the chest." He answered dully and stood up.

The Butler and I looked at each other then back at the Detetive. "But… the only two people in the house that have a gun are you and…" I didn't need to finish my sentence. We all knew who else had a gun in that manor. The Detective reached into his holster and grabbed his handgun, then turned to the two of us.

"Looks like the Colonel has a few more questions to answer. Let's head back to the manor."

"What about the body?" the Butler asked.

"If it's like the last bodies, it'll end up disappearing no matter what we do. Besides, if we can find the killer, then we'll know where the others went." The Detective did have a point. In fact, by now the Host and Google were probably already gone just like Mark, Ed and Bim. The Detetive started to lead the way, followed by the Butler and I was behind. It seemed liked the Colonel was going to have to go through another intergiation again. But at the rate things are going, what else could cause things to go further downhill? I had only taken a few steps when I heard a shushing sound nearby. It was quiet enough only for me to hear, but it sounded close. I looked around to see where that noise came from, but at first found nothing. The other two were already gone at this point as I kept listening.

"H-hello?" I asked, getting nervous as to what could have been making that noise. When I heard the rustling from the bushes, I jumped as a figure suddenly appeared from the leaves and green. "Gah!" I screamed. The figure ran up and covered my mouth with a feminine hand. I looked closer at the one covering my mouth to see a female figure. She had greenish-blue eyes and short dark brown hair mixed with purple highlights that was mostly parted to the right side of her face. She had a black fez like hat that had a black webbed veil reaching to her shoulders. Her dress was the same black as most of her being with clusters of white stars and a small black sweater. I looked at her with wide eyes as my fear and adrenaline was increasing. I attempted to squirm out of her hold, but she was strong for a very thin woman.

"Please," she whispered in a hushed tone. "Do not be frightened. I am not here to harm you. You have nothing to fear, Kate." The moment she said my name, my face turned white. How did this woman know my name when I have never met her. She didn't look familiar to me, so where did she get my name? She slowly took her hand off of my mouth and looked me in the eyes as her orbs of mixed colors had a gentle tone that kept me calm but there was some sternness to them that made me not speak until she told me I had permission. But when she didn't speak, I took the chance to ask the question.

"W-who are you? A-and how do you know my name?"

"I know you have a lot of questions, but I can not answer them all at this moment. But please trust me when I say I am not here to do you harm. Please, listen to what I am about to say and I will do my best to help you in any way I can." She has a sort of accent in her voice… but I couldn't tell what it was.

I took a step back from the woman, she sounded sincere, but at the same time with everything that has been going on, I didn't feel like I could trust her so easily. "W-why should I trust you? For all I know… you could be the killer of this manor!" I knew that what I pointed out seemed misleading, and didn't make any sense. But I wanted some reason I could trust this woman that I've never seen before.

"Because I know that you are in a dream." Her response caught me off guard for a moment. I stared at her, her lips in a straight line and her eyes narrowed at me. "By now, you've realized it. You are in a dream state and you are forced to go along with the situation at hand or you may end up dead."

"Y-you know I'm in a dream?"

"Based around one of your favorite idols, Markiplier you call him correct? I've done my research on him, and he is a good man. But he too has fallen prey to this state that the same entity has done onto you." I couldn't even process what she was saying, and yet somehow it made sense. I wasn't too sure if she was another figment of my dream or if she was something else. "I know you have a lot of questions, and you must be very confused."

"A little…" I admitted. Though that was a huge understatement.

"Look, something has trapped you here in this state. It's the same thing that trapped Markiplier here."

"What is it?! Why is it doing this? How can I end this?!"

The woman raised her hand up to me, telling me to hold my questions. "Many of your questions I can not answer exactly. I do not know the identity of who is causing you and Mark these dreams, but I do know what it is. And it is a being you do not want to mess with on your own. That is why I am here to help you. I do not expect you to trust me right away, I wouldn't if the roles were reversed. But I can not help you if you do not help me."

"How can I help you stop this when I barely even know what's going on myself?"

"You have been in these dream for three nights now, correct?"

"Yes… what does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm surprised this entity is keeping you alive this long. Clearly this being wants something from you if you are still alive and unharmed."

"Wait… this thing… wants something from me? But, I don't have anything of value."

"Maybe you do, but you are not aware. I am not sure what it is, but that is why I need your help. You are the key to figuring out this mess. You have been here long enough for me to try to fathom some sort of idea of who is responsible for this dream and what they could want."

"And… you can stop them?"

She looked at me for a long moment, a bit of doubt could be seen in her eyes, but it was like she was trying to hide that feeling from me. "I… can not answer that. But you have my word that I will do all I can to aid you. Now, will you allow me to help you?" She reached out her left hand towards me. I eyed it for a moment, still a bit hesitant to take the deal. On one hand, I had no idea who this woman was and she could very well be the murderer. She could end up killing me when I least expect it, and it does seem strange that she knows this whole world is a dream I'm in. Then again, I was desperate to end this never-ending nightmare and I was running low on options. I needed as much help as I could get and if she was willing, who was I to say no? She didn't seem to have any evil intent as I looked at her. Her features had a sense of longing but there was also sympathy in her eyes. Perhaps she could help me in the situation I was in. Aside from my sanity, what else could I have to lose? I extended out my right hand and shook her own. We placed our arms back to the side of our bodies and her smile grew wider. "Thank you, Kate Leer."

"Y-you can call me Cosmo… that's my Internet name after all." I admitted as I rubbed the back of my head.

"Oh, so you're a YouTuber, like Markiplier."

"Uh… not exactly. I mean, I do upload content onto my own channel, but I'm not really as well known as him." I explained. "By the way, what's your name?"

The woman took a pause and crossed her arms over her chest. "I went by many names in my life time, and even the name I have now is different than it was years ago. But for the sake of this dreamscape, you may address me as Celine."

"Okay… Celine," for some reason, as I rolled that name off of my tongue it didn't seem to click well. But I ignored that fact, thinking it had nothing to do with what needed to be done. "So, what exactly are we going to do now?"

"You must fill me in on what has been going on. But you must make it quick, I fear we may not have much privacy for very long." She advised me. I looked around the golf course we were in, and though I saw no one else near us, I did get a feeling of being watched though I couldn't figure out where. I turned back to Celine and began to explain the story to her. How I came to my sisters' house for spring break, the invitation, me entering this dream world for the first time without realizing it and going into the manor. Meeting all of Marks' alter egos including himself. Then I went on to explain the deaths that happened and how I've been trying to solve the case by finding the murderer. I've also told her about even when I wake up that I see some hallucinations and hear voices that aren't there. Celine listened and nodded intently as I told my story. When I was done, there was a long pause between us as she tried to process this information.

"So this entity seems to be haunting you even when you are awake."

"If what you've been saying is true, then it would be the only logical conclusion. I just wish I knew why it picked me to haunt."

"I may not know the true identity of this entity, but I do know how its' kind operates. They tend to stay with a human until they drain out their sanity. And even if you had a strong will to keep yourself sane, they will find you boring and slay you where you stand." I froze at the very idea of this creature that was plaguing my mind would eventually kill me instantly. Though at this point it seemed that would be showing mercy on its' part. Celine went on. "Still, there must be some reason why this entity chose you. These creatures may seem only interested in their prey, but that is what makes them more terrifying. They chose what their prey will be based on their tastes and interest. In other words, perhaps you have something that drew this monster to you."

"But why torment me with these dreams? Why not just kill me and get it over with?"

"Some of these entities tend to play with their prey, making them lose their sanity so it seems they will also lose any hope of freedom. It makes their prey… more fun, to cut down and destroy. That's probably what this creature is doing. It wants to torment you until you eventually give up."

I clenched my hands into fists, becoming determined. "Well sorry to disappoint it, but I'm not going to give it the satisfaction. I've dealt with enough trama already, so I'm not going to have this parasite infect my dreams anymore!"

Celine smiled towards me. "With that attitude, it might be enough to go up against the creature. But," Celine went on in a stern tone. "If you plan to face this entity, you need to know the form this creature has taken. Have you seen anyone in that mansion that might have come off strange or ominous to you?"

I didn't hesitate to answer. "Pretty much most of the people in that manor fit your description. Unfountaly, a lot of them have been killed…"

"Who else is in that mansion, aside yourself?"

"Let's see…" I thought for a moment. "There's the Butler, the Detective, the Chief… the Colonel… and Damien."

"And counting you that's six people left in that mansion…" Celine stated. "I'm sure among one of them, the entity has hidden itself in a human form."

"But… which one would they be?"

"That's why I need to get inside the manor and find out myself. The manor is most likely the setting and home of this entity. If I can get inside, I can use my abilities to pry into the information spiritually. But I'm sure once I get inside, the entity will know I am not from this dream world it thought up and will most likely do everything in its' power to kill me off."

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." I promised.

"Are you sure? It might be dangerous."

"That might be true, but I've been suffering all this time and now that I know what I might be up against, I can at least go in knowing I have somewhat of a chance of survival. Besides, this entity seems to be only interested in me, and if it has been keeping its' eyes on me, then it most likely knows I know I'm already in a dream. I can probably make up an excuse for you, say you're an acquaintance of mine that dabbles in the dark arts and we can use you to contact Markiplier's ghost to find out who killed him. Even if the entity tries to stop you, I'll agree to follow you and that should be enough to get the creature off our backs. If this entity is concerned about wanting to get something from me, it will try to keep its' identity a secret, so it won't risk exposing itself."

"I must admit, you are smarter than I give you credit for." That was probably the best compliment I had gotten all week, "But you must be careful, even if you are aware of the situation, I highly doubt you are capable of fighting off this creature. You do not know what this creature is capable of."

"Then we just have to make sure we don't have to fight it."

"Now you're understanding. Alright, I'll trust you to get me inside. Though it may not be easy, I believe in your confidence. It might be the only thing that will give you the upper hand." I nodded towards Celine and began to lead her back to the mansion. Climbing up the stairs back to the pool with the turtle statue, we would make our way through the back door and head in there. Celine stopped and examined the outside of the manor, taking in the whole structure. "Very interesting… this manor has the architecture of a gothic style building that many in the roaring twenties would have owned."

"Yeah, it kind of reminds me of 'The Great Gatsby' when I first saw it. The inside is a lot more luxurious though." I said, though not really sure why we were having such a conversation.

Celine turned towards me and further explained. "That is not it… tell me Cosmo, do you dream of being in these types of buildings?"

That question seemed random, and I wasn't sure what she was getting at at first. "N-no… I mean, I've seen these kinds of mansions in media and in books, and I would like to go into one and see what it would be like myself. But I don't think I could ever really dream up something as big as this. Why do you ask?"

"I have a strong feeling that it must be the entity that manifested this large mansion. Usually, to created something as large as this and keep it going within nights in the hosts' mind would take a huge amount of power. Unless…"

"Unless what?" I asked.

"The entity could somehow transfer their memoires to make this building appear for so long. It would take them less time and power to construct and keep up for longer periods. So, either this entity is very strong in the magical arts or… this building could represent some fragment of its' past. Perhaps, of a life it once lived and lost."

Now Celine was starting to not only creep me out, but she somehow made this whole situation even more confusing. "Celine, you act as if this entity is more than just some parasitic demon. Memoires… having a life once lived… what exactly kind of creature are we going up against?"

She turned towards me, her expression looked as if she was caught off guard with the question. But it was soon replaced with sympathetic features. Her eyes were lowered and her lips were in a straight line, she cupped her hands together and sighed. I awaited her answer, and as she parted her lips, it seemed I would get it. But her words were caught off by a gunshot that sounded nearby. We looked at one another and immediately went straight to the doors and barged right in to see what was going on. The first thing I saw entering one of the living areas of this mansion was the Detective and Colonel circling each other, each holding a gun that pointed at the other. In that instant, I remembered that the Detective was going to question the Colonel about Dr. Ipliers' death. I should have been there to make sure it wouldn't have gotten out of hand. But with how things have been going now, I doubted I could have calmed either of them down.

"I don't know what you're playing at but you better lower your weapon, you murderer!" The Detective shouted at the Colonel as a roar of thunder and lightning finished his sentence.

"I bloody well won't, you're the one that assaulted me! For all I know, you could be the murderer!" The Colonel protested as another roar of lightning and thunder sounded his way. I took a quick glance at Celine, she looked around the house and outside as the flashes and roars were heard. She seemed pale, I couldn't tell if it was the light or something else. But I watched more of the scene before me.

"What the fu-" the Chief jumped the steps that separates this room from the entry way, holding one of his ladle. As soon as he saw the guns, he backed up. "Ooh!" Raising his hands in the air, as if he was in trouble.

"Last chance, drop your weapon!" The Detective warned.

"Master's prized vase…" The Butler whined as he looked to see a shattered vase on the floor. Out of all the things he was worried about right now, a broken piece of china was one of them?

"Everyone, please!" I turned to see Damien as he was begging. Though he was trying to remain calm, I could see the distress in his features. "I know we're all on edge, but can't we resolve this amicably?"

"On edge?!" The Detective repeated with a loud voice. "This PSYCHO tried to SHOOT ME!" He pointed at the Colonel with his gun.

"That's a bold-faced lie! I was merely doing some light target practice!" The Colonel did his best but failed to defend himself in a soft tone. He and the Detective walked closer to one of the doors leading out of the manor as this conversation went on.

"Inside?!" The Butler questioned as he waved a feather duster around, mostly at the Colonels' face.

"Well, yes, I couldn't go on the grounds now with another victim lying in the grass, could I?" I froze for a moment as the Colonel mentioned Dr. Iplier. Reminding me of how many people died in this manor already and it was scaring me to think how many more would fall.

"Enough of this horseshit!" The Detective declared as his gun was raised at the Colonels' face. "You knew I was onto you and you were trying to whack me off before I could finger you!" There was a long pause, and everyone in the room seemed to have been confused and even uncomfortable with how the Detective worded that statement. A look of discomfort appeared on his face as well as he soon realized what he said. "As the murderer!" He added and another flash and roar was seen and heard.

'"I will not be called a murderer in my own home!" The Colonel said through gritted teeth as he aimed the gun and readied the trigger. For a moment, I thought he was actually going to kill the Detective, and I could only watch as it happened. My feet were glued to the floor and my voice was lost in my throat. To my relief, Celine intervene.

"STOP!" She jumped and got into the middle of the living room, all eyes were on her now. The faces of these men held questions, but Celine was the first one to ask. "What are you doing?"

"Who the hell are you?" Mick questioned as he looked at Celine.

I walked up to Celines' side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Celine, please calm yourself."

"Celine?" the Detective looked at me with suspicion. "How the hell do you know her?" he pointed at the other woman in the room.

"Madame, I'm afraid you've come at a very inopportune time." The Butler interrupted. "Something dreadful has happened here."

"I can see that, and I'm glad I got here before it got any worse." Celine stated.

"This is only the tip of the iceberg!" Chief stated as he raised his finger in the air. "And it's a big iceberg. How can I put this delicately?" he questioned in a soft voice, that didn't last very long. "EVERYONE'S FUCKING DEAD!" He then looked down to the ground and muttered. "Dead, like my hopes and dreams."

"Anything else I should know?" Celine asked concern.

"Some of them could be flesh-eating zombies!" Chief added.

"Homo necrosis." Celine stated.

' **Please tell me she doesn't believe in that as well.'** I thought to myself.

"Exactly, hence the guns." The Colonel waved his silver pistol around.

"That is not 'Hence the guns'!" Mick the Detective objected as he waved his own handgun around in a mocking manner.

"Stop waving those bloody guns around!" The Butler demanded as the Chief waved his ladle in his face.

"Hol-hold on!" Celine put the Chiefs' hand down and used her other to motion her own order. "Tell me what happened! How did these guests… die?" There was a moment of silence, no one wanting to answer. Who could blame them when the cause of this was…

"It was murder." We all turned around to see Damien standing there, cane in hand and a roar and flash of thunder and lightning was seen behind him. "And worse yet… the bodies are missing." His voice was cold, giving me chills to the bone. But I brushed it off.

"What? Show me." Celine pleaded. "And do not say that word."

"What word?" the Chief asked. "Murder?" there was the thunder and lightning again.

"Yes!" Celine said. "That word!"

"Well, I mean murder is a rather accurate description of what occur-"

"Do you not see the lightning?" Celine slapped the Butler and gestured around the room. Now that she mentioned it, it was strange that whenever someone mentioned the very word lightning and thunder would blast from outside, even when it appeared clear. That was why I stopped saying that word, because it seemed like a bad omen. Was it possibly the entity plaguing my dreams that caused that word to be cursed? But why?

"You sayin' it was lightning that murdered Mark and the others?" the Detective questioned as the very thing came at the end of his sentence.

The Colonel merely shrugged. "Well, Mother Nature doesn't exactly strike me as having murderous intent. Unless you count that time I was sucked into the board game: Jumanji and I was-!"

"Stop, stop!" Celine interrupted and took over in the room. "Look, whatever's happening here is tapping into forces far beyond our control."

' **So much for keeping a low profile Celine… you went straight to the point.'** I thought as I looked over at her. ' **But you are right about the connection between the word and lightning. What does it mean though?'** I looked around the room and everyone else as another eerie silence fell upon us. I turned around to the Chief, and he said in a low voice.

"Murder." Smiling all child-like, as if to test Celines' patients. I then looked at the Colonel who was staring at the ceiling.

"Mur… doch?"

"Malarkey." The Detective said slowly as he looked around the room.

All eyes fell upon the Butler, as if we were expecting him to join in on this test. "Marco!" He said wide eyed at me.

With a large roar of thunder and a flash that blinded me in whiteness, I soon found myself around a table with everyone else.

"Enough!" Celine slammed the table with her bare hands and looked at everyone in the room with a stern expression. "Look, these deaths have been a terrible thing indeed. But I fear that there are forces much darker here than anything we've seen here today. I am well versed in the arcane arts, but if you, untrained and uninitiated, can summon lightning with a mere word, we're all in far graver danger than anything we could ever hope to face alone."

"I agree with Celine." I said, everyone turned towards me as if they were expecting me to say more. I shifted my eyes a bit for a minute until they fell onto Celine, who motioned with her hand for me to go on. "Uh… I-I've known Celine for a while now. I go to her when I wanted to talk with my deceased family and she is very gifted in what she does. That is why I called her here… I feel like we need as much help as we can get. We're going to have to work together, with Celine, if we are going to survive this."

"Cosmo, what are you proposing?" Damien asked me with concern in his voice.

Celine was the one that answered that question. "We need to speak with Mark."

"I knew it!" the Chief slammed his hand on the table. "He's a flesh-eating zombie!"

"No," Celine stated in an annoyed tone.

"Well, maybe one of those smart zombies: Homosapio zombifus." The Colonel jumped in.

"I'm pretty sure you just made that up." I looked at him with narrowed eyes and crossed arms.

"No, no." Celine called everyone back to order. "I need to commune with the dead. I'm going to talk with Marks' spirit."

"That… doesn't sound like a good idea." Mick honestly stated.

"Well, it's a good thing I don't need your permission." Celine interjected at him. She then turned towards me as her features calmed down. "Cosmo, will you help me find the answers?" I didn't hesitate to answer as I nodded my head, earning Celine a smile on her face. "Perfect. Come with me and we can get to work." She was about to stand up as I was when the Detective intervene.

"Alright, that's enough. I'm not gonna just sit around and let you drag my partner off to their very likely death. I won't stand for it!" He slammed his hands on the table and sat up from his seat. Way to show her, Detective.

"Well, I trust this young lady more than you!" The Colonel declared as he gestured to me while keeping his eyes on the Detective. Probably the most flattering thing he ever said to me since I met him.

"You don't have to worry Detective, I know what I'm getting into." I tried to assure him, but in truth I barely had any clue what I was about to do.

"Well, I have to agree with our intrepid Detective here." The Butler admitted. "It just doesn't seem natural."

"What about any of this is natural?" I questioned him as I was starting to lose my patience. "We could be the next victims and at this point, this seems to be the only option we have for finding out who killed Mark and the others. I'm willing to stake my odds on this if it will get us the answers we need."

The Chief was the next one to speak his opinion. "I never liked you and your demand for food, young lady. But I think you're right. This whole thing is weird, how much more strange can it get?" He must be desperate if he was willing to agree with me.

"If it makes you feel any better, you guys can stand watch outside the door, but my work CANNOT be interrupted." Celine warned.

"And if things get out of hand, I'll call out to you guys and you can come in and stop it. That sound fair?" I asked.

"Oh, believe you me. I'll be keeping a close eye on every single one of you. Even myself. Especially myself." The Detective said. I highly doubted he would keep his promise, but whatever made him feel better for us to get this ritual over with was fine with me. Celine stood up from her seat as did I. We were going to make our way to the upper floor and take an empty room. As I neared the stairs, Damien stopped me.

"Wh-Cosmo? Cosmo, wait. Wait!"

I turned back to see him standing right next to me, features tensed. "I… are you sure about this?" I looked away from him for a moment, sighing and rubbing the back of my head. "Surely, you must feel nervous about this situation."

"I'll be fine for now." I assured myself more than I did him as I stared into his eyes. Though he could see me losing my cool, I could sense it myself. I walked up the stairs, Celine already at the top. Damien followed behind me as I reached the last step.

"I… er… but all this talk of the occult! And there's still a killer on our hands… wait. Wait!" He grabbed me lightly by my wrist, causing me to turn and looked at him. He was shorter than me due to the difference in steps.

"Damien… please. I have to do this." I told him bluntly.

He licked his lips as his voice was beginning to quiver. "I just didn't think you were the type to become mixed up with all this."

"Neither did I, but sometimes, there are just things that are far beyond our control. In reality, life isn't always ours to choose." I looked at him, both of us were unsure about what would happen next. I actually wished he could have come into the room with me and be there to help ease me on this strange journey I would partake in. But Celine probably wouldn't allow it, seeing as how I was supposed to trust no one for anyone of them could have been the entity haunting my dream state. Yet even with this information, I still trusted Damien. He seemed to be the only one that cared about my well-being and came to my defense. He was just as distraught about this whole ordeal as I was, even though I knew none of it was real. At least, I hoped none of it would come to life in the real world. "But," I regained a bit of my confidence. "I do trust Celine. And I trust that this will work if I am corporative and strong-willed. I don't know what I will face in that room, but if it will give us the answers we need, I'll go through whatever suffering comes my way."

"I…" Damien trailed off with a sigh. He seemed like he was about to say something as he rubbed the bridge between his nose. But he dropped the topic all together. It made me questioned how worried he was about this whole situation. "Just be careful."

"...I'll try." I didn't really promise him that I would, because I didn't want to make a promise I couldn't keep. I broke away from his grip on my wrist, I hated to have done that but I was desperate. And as much as I trusted Damien, he couldn't give me the answers to what happened here. I walked down the hallway, my arm trailing the banister as I looked down to the second floor. That was one drop I hoped not to be making anytime soon. I headed all the way to the end of the hallway where there was only one door. Walking in, the room had already been decorated by Celine. Though it was a small area, she had already gotten everything she needed for what was going to happen. The curtains were drawn together behind Celine as she sat on one end of the small table. The wooden table was covered in a cloth of golden and crimson designs that looked like animal and humanoid figure patterns. There were roman numbers, satanic and angelic symbols as well. In the center of the table stood a clear crystal ball and there were five candles that surrounded the crystal object, in the form of a star. The lighting made the curtains green with hints of blue.

"Please, have a seat." Celine gestured towards the other empty chair across from her. I did as she told me and placed myself on the seat. I stared at her from across the table and titled my head. "Now, I'm sure this must be unsettling for you, being thrust into this series of unfortunate events."

"Well, it would have been more terrifying if this wasn't my third time here. I only hope that this comes to an end soon." I said rubbing my arms.

"I promise - with your help, we're going to get to the bottom of this." She assured me.

"So… how exactly is this going to work? I mean, I've seen this sort of stuff in games and media before, but never really tried it."

"You have no experience?" Celine questioned.

"Well, my mom did get her fortune told a while back. The physic was pretty accurate! Though I wasn't in the room when it happened…"

Celine rolled her eyes. "Please, physic readings are vague and tend to be wrong. You're better off getting your fortune told from a chinese cookie."

"That seems kind of harsh. How is it any different?"

"Because, those people may be descendants of magic bearers, but without the proper training and rituals they tend to get vague readings and only pick out the details the people want to hear. I on the other hand, have been practicing these arts for many years. And though the form I have taken may not have the physical capacity to do a lot of magic, I believe that this spell alone will work."

"What exactly does this spell do?"

"If done properly, you should be able to connect your mind with that of the entity that is plaguing your dream state."

"Is that safe?" I asked, starting to doubt this more and more.

"With my help, you should be fine. When your minds are linked, you will need to find out as much information about this entity as you can get. Perhaps you should see if you can figure out what form it has taken or what it is after. If you can do that, you might be able to use that information to destroy it."

"How will I know if I find said information?"

"You will know when you see it, but you will need to keep your eyes open." Celine advised me. "Every mind is different in the way it is organized and how it is structured. Some minds can be as open and welcoming as a grassy meadow while others can be as complexed and hard to navigate like a maze."

"So I won't know what kind of mind this entity holds until I get there." Celine nodded. "Well, if I'm able to navigate this dream mansion, hopefully I can figure out what this entity holds in their mind. Send me in… I guess."

"I'll be on the other side and pull you out if things get bad. Just call out my name and I'll pull you back." I nodded. "Alright, close your eyes and clear your mind." I did as she instructed, even though it seemed cliched and obvious. I was engulfed in darkness for a long moment, trying my hardest not to think of anything. My ears were picking up strange chanting that came from Celine's mouth. Probably part of this ritual, so I didn't pay too much attention. Besides, she was speaking in a strange language that I couldn't understand. Even the accent seems foreign to me now. I felt colder as the chatting died away, as if Celine was growing further away from me. My body felt tingling sensations throughout my skin, but it didn't hurt. When I couldn't hear Celine chanting anymore, I took the risk to open my eyes. All around me, I was in a dark opened space, where large white orbs scattered around the place.

"Woah…" Even though it wasn't much, it was kind of breathtaking to see. I looked down at my feet only to realize they weren't on the ground but rather floating. This whole area looked like I was in space, but I could breath. "This place looks… kind of beautiful… But it looks so empty and lonely. I guess this must be the entity's' mind?" I wasn't sure about anything anymore, but I kept my mind sharp and focused. "Alright, Celine said I had to find out the reason why this entity was haunting me and what form this creature has taken. Hopefully something here can tell me the answer to at least one of my questions. But where to start?" I looked around my surroundings, it didn't look like I had much to work with at first. But I had to start somewhere. I waved my arms in front of me as if I were swimming and looked around. For a while, I floated around aimlessly, not too sure what I was supposed to be looking for. The small orbs around me had an aura surrounding them, but I didn't pay any mind to them. Until a couple of them around me started to shine brighter. I looked over at a random one and floated over to it. Gazing at it for a long moment and actually looking inside the light. The orb shone brightly, and as I looked inside its' center, a moving image began to appear. There was a full moon in a dark night sky, pure white at first but it soon was overshadowed by red. The moon in its' red hue began to bleed out into the sky, crimson rivers falling from the space rock and out into the sky. Just as quickly as it appeared, the image turned to black and the orb lost its' shine. I folated back, taking in that picture I saw.

"Woah… these orbs must be what are holding the key to my answers!" For a brief moment, I was hopeful that I was making progress being in this strange world I found myself in. But then, another question came to mind. "So… what exactly am I looking for in these orbs that can tell me my answers?" I figured the only way I would find out would be to look around and peek into more of these orbs to see what else they held. I floated over to another one and looked inside to see another image. This time, it was that of a humanoid figure with red glowing eyes and sharp claws and teeth. I immediately backed away once I saw the creature, sweat dripping from my brows. I had a flashback of that night when my parents were murdered before my eyes by the said creature.

"W-what… th-that thing…" I self-hugged myself as I watched the orb lose its' shine. That creature looked just like the thing that killed my parents a year and a half ago. But… how and why was that creature part of this entitys' memory? Could it have been that this being knew about my past? Or… did it have more of a connection with that creature? A horrible thought came to mind. "What does this mean? Could it be this entity is the very same one that killed my parents? Does that mean it came back to finish me off?" just the very idea of such a possibility was enough to spike my anxiety. What if this entity plaguing my dream state really was the same one that killed my parents? It was a possibility, right? I moved away from that orb, trying to get the image out of my mind. I ventured to another glowing orb and looked inside to see what it held. This time, it wasn't just a simple moving image but rather a larger movie picture. I was looking through the eyes of someone else, though I didn't know who. This person was in a dark room and was standing in front of a door. They kicked it open, causing pieces of the wooden frame to break. They walked out into the hallway and looked down to the ground floor where a spiral staircase lead down.

"Wait… this scene looks familiar…" I told myself as I didn't take my eyes off of the show. I saw the figure I was looking through turned their head to a door on the other side of the hall. Its' bits blasted towards them, but they used their hands to block and break the debris. Out of the other room came out a human figure, but I couldn't get a good look at who he was. He jumped and crawled on the ceiling, and the one I was looking through started to blast the crawler with red beams of energy. Though the other one was falling to the ground floor, he screamed sonic pulses of green at the falling ceiling, and landed like a cat. My eyes widened as I backed a bit away from the orb while it lost its' shine. "No way…" I gasped. "That building… it was the same one I went to where those demons battled with each other." I was reminded of that night not too long ago, where I ran from the mansion and looked back while green and red light flashed through the windows and the building was collapsing due to the holes the ceiling sustained. "Wait a second… does that mean that this entity has something to do with that fight?"

There was so many things to connect to this entity, but I didn't know how they connected. If anything, the experience was only giving me more questions rather than answers. But I had to press on until I found something that would give me what I was looking for. I moved to another glowing orb, preparing myself for what I was about to see. It was the image of Damiens' cane that he always carried. It's black handle and silver top shone even in this dark place. At first, I was confused as to why the cane would hold any significance to this entity. It wasn't until after the canes' silver parts started to turn a dark shade of crimson that I paid closer attention to the details. The cane soon became smaller and wider in a circular form until the cane turned into a silver ring with a red stone engraved into it. "Wait a minute… that ring…" I was instantly reminded of the ring that I took from the guy I helped in the woods. It looked just like that, but why was it… "The ring… That's the reason I'm in this mess!" I suddenly realized everything as I took a step back from the still-glowing orb. "Does this mean this entity wants the ring?" I was sure that was what this whole ordeal was about. But the question still remained about who the entity was.

" **That ring is a curse…"**

I jumped at the sudden voice that echoed from nowhere. I looked around but saw no one nearby. "H-hello? Is someone there?" I asked the nothingness.

" **That ring is a curse…"** The voice repeated. " **It will bring you nothing but trouble…"**

"So the ring is the key…" I realized as I looked back at the orb that held the ring. It was still glowing and even faded in and out. The object inside the orb was still inside. I went back to the orb and eyed the jewelry for a moment. I bit my lip and raised my right hand. I knew it was crazy, but if that ring was the reason I was here, then I needed to be sure. My whole arm shook as my hand reached closer and closer to the orb. Fingers began to tingle as the tips touched the glowing globe. A sense of heat radiated from the orb, wanting me to draw my hand back. I hesitated, but moved forward and reached out. I clutched the ring into my palm and tightened my grip on it as my fingernails dug into my skin. As the ring soon fell into my hands, the orb flashed brightly and blinded me in white. Forcing me to close my eyes or be blinded further.

The sound of thunder caused me to open my eyes again and I was back in the room with Celine. "Wah!" I gasped upon entering back to the room.

"What happened?" Celine asked. "Why did you stop?"

I looked over at her with dazed eyes. "I…" I trailed off for a moment trying to explain to her what I saw. I looked down at my hands for a moment. My left one rested open on my lap while my right one was still clutched into a fist. I could feel something in the hold of my palm, and I had a fairly good idea of what it was. I opened it and inside my hand was the ring. A small gasped escaped my mouth as the cold silver band with the clouded red stone rested in my palm. I eyed the stone for a long moment, a dull glow emitted from the center. I stared at it for a moment, and a chilling sensation crawled through my being. My vision grew dark and was soon engulfed in blackness. Not for long though, as a distorted laughter sounded before me as a figure manifested. It was a man in overalls and a cowboy hat, holding a shovel and digging in the dirt. " **Employers come and go, come and go. Some die, some don't."** That voice… it sounded just like the one that said the ring was a curse when I was in that strange void of shining orbs. His figure faded into the blackness and I came back to the room. I stared back at Celine, concern and curiosity was written on her face.

"Cosmo… what did you see?!" Celine demanded an answer for me this time. It was hard for me to form words at first. My brain was still trying to process what it saw and my body was trying to settle itself back after the experience it had. I was shaking, but I did my best to cease it quickly. "I...I saw… s-someone…" My voice was barely audible, I doubted Celine heard it if I myself could barely understand my words.

"Someone?" Celine pressed on. She looked around the table, grabbing an old piece of parchment and handed it to me along with a pen. "Draw it." She requested. I stared at the objects for a moment, then back at Celine. She narrowed her eyes at me and waved the paper a bit in my face. Clearly she wanted me to get down my answer one way or another. At least she was considerate enough to give me a different option in expressing the answer rather than just saying it. She probably knew that I couldn't say much due to the experience. I grabbed the pen and parchment and began drawing what I saw. My drawing skills may not have been the best, but I figured if I got down the basic idea, it would be enough. I drew a manuiqen like figure, giving it the overalls, hat, wavy hair and had it leaning over a hole. Shovel in both hands with dirt on the tool. I gave it to Celine, who looked over the parchment. She wasn't as pleased as I thought she would have been. "What is this?"

"That was the man I saw in the vision just now. He said something about employers dying and the ring being a curse." I shuddered as I remembered that voice that echoed in the void and in my mind. I glanced back at the ring in my hand, the glowing ceased but the coldness was still there. I clutched onto the piece of jewelry, not too sure if I should have showed it to Celine.

"This doesn't answer anything!" Celine exclaimed. "What else did you see?"

I jumped as she was sounding more demanding by the minute. I did my best to answer. "I...I saw a red moon… a monster and a cane turning into a ring. That was all I saw entering that place. But… it just left me with more questions than answers." I said honestly. "But I've seen that ring before, I know I have."

"A ring?" the edge in her voice vanished suddenly as curiosity grew. I looked back at her, eyes softening. I nodded slowly. "What did it look like?"

"It… seemed like a standard ring. A silver band with a gemstone in the center."

"Cosmo," Celine raised her hands at me. "I need you to really think about this one… what was the color of the gem stone? Was it clear or cloudy?"

My heart skipped a beat, though I wasn't sure why. "I-it was a red stone… it shone like a ruby but it was all cloudy inside."

Celines' eyes fell onto the table, her lips quivering. "No…" she breathed. "That means this entity is…" She trailed off, but I knew what she was saying was not good. Could it be related to what was going on? If Celine was growing nervous, then that meant the odds were becoming more and more against me.

"Celine?" I reached out to her.

She shot her eyes back up at me, worry in the orbs. "We need to go!"

"What? But we're so close!" I pushed.

"You need to go back! To your home and family. I have to send you back, now!" I jumped out of my chair. Desperation was in her voice as she clutched to the table. Her eyes not moving away from me. Why was she becoming panicked all of a sudden? I was the victim here, I should be the one doing that. What could my visions have meant to her? I was about to ask further but the door opened as the Detective and Damien entered.

"What the shit is this?" Mick looked around in disgust at the occult room.

"Get out!" Celine exclaimed as she pointed towards the door.

"What the hell are you trying to do, lady?" the Detective accused Celine as he glared at her.

"You guys, please. We aren't done yet. I saw something!" I tried to explain to everyone. Damien and the Detective for giving up more time and Celine for trying to get me to go back.

"Cosmo," Damien walked up to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "I think you've done quite enough."

"Don't you DARE say it is enough!" Celine yelled as she slammed her hands on the table, earning both me and Damien to back away from her.

The Detective reached over and grabbed my arm, dragging me out of the room. "C'mon, partner, let's go."

"H-hey!" I tried to protest but he was stronger than me and we walked out to the hallway.

"Come on! Hurry it up! What did she do to you?" he looked over at me.

I tugged at my arm and was freed from his grip. I glared back at him for a moment. "I'm fine! Stop worrying about me, will you!" I calmed myself and looked at him with soft eyes. "Why did you and Damien come in? I was getting somewhere."

"Oh great, she got to your head." The Detective rolled his eyes.

"No, really! Look!" I handed him the drawing of the man I saw in the vision. He grabbed it and looked at it. But he seemed just as confused as Celine was.

"What is this?"

"Someone I saw. I think he could be someone who works here or maybe he has some other connection to this manor." I suggested.

"Butler!" The Detective called. "Butler!"

Right away, the said character came up to the man with the Chief behind him. "What?" he asked. "What is it?"

"This mean anything to you?" he showed the Butler the drawing, and the guy eyed it for a while. He had a puzzled look on his face for a moment.

"Well, maybe… no, sorry."

"Spit it out if you got something!" the Detective threatened.

"Well… it could be our groundskeeper George, but he only works on weekdays." The Butler explained. So there was a new character into this mix, and he was a groundskeeper. That would explain the shovel and dirt. But, it seemed there was more to the story than anyone was letting on. I looked over at the Chief who was clutching the door frame and leaning his head against the wall. I folded my arms over my chest and stared at the guilty man.

"I think you friend might think differently." Everyone turned towards the Chief. When all eyes were on him, he looked at everyone and raised his hands.

"Uh… I don't know shit, I plead the fifth, man." He clearly was hiding something, because his voice didn't have the same threatening tone that it did the other times he talked. The Butler seemed to have noticed as well.

"Chief, if you know something, for god's sake spit it out!" He pointed his gloved finger right in the Chief's face. He looked at everyone else and placed his hands to his side.

"Okay, alright, you're twisting my arm, alright. George has been living on the grounds for years."

"WHAT?!" The Butler gasped.

The Detective rolled his eyes before glaring back at the Chief. "And you just now thought to share that information with us? For all we know, he could be the murderer!" Thunder sounded again at the end of his sentence. While this bit of news was a bit shocking, no pun intended for the outside, a lot of things didn't add up. This George fellow… why would he have reason to kill Mark and the others? Sure, the visions I've had of him did seem ominous, but I knew that feeling didn't come from him directly.

"For the last time, stop saying that word!" Celine warned as she marched towards us with Damien behind her.

"Look." The Chief tried to explain. "George… just tends to the grounds, man. He's a fuckin' hermit!"

"I don't care what the fuck he is!" Detective Mick yelled.

"Calm down everyone!" I was the next one to raise my voice. "All of this arguing is getting us nowhere!"

"Cosmo is right! Just go outside and talk to this George and be done with it!" Damien added.

"Hold on a sec. You're not coming with us?" the Detective questioned Damien.

"I-I'll stay here with Celine." Damien offered.

"I don't need to be looked after. I'll come with you, if that is alright." Celine looked more towards the Detective than me. Maybe it was because she knew he was the one calling the shots here. Was she so eager to get out of this house, she would do anything to stay away from it? What was she so scared of? She seemed confident in dealing with this situation when we first met. What did I say or what was it about my vision that made her change her mind?

"Fine, good, yeah, whatever, who care?" the Detective mocked as he turned his attention towards the Chief. "Alright, you're coming with me. Partner, you too." I nodded, the four of us ready to head outside. The Detective took one step before he paused, having a look of realization upon his face. "Hold on a sec… we're missing somebody."

I looked around the small area we all were in, trying to find the missing person. I knew who he was talking about. "Where did the Colonel go?" I asked.

"Well, he appeared tired, and… went back to his room." The Butler explained.

"By himself? After everything that has been going on?" I questioned.

"Why are you so worried, I think he can take care of himself." The Detective seemed to brush off the idea of me worrying about the Colonel. But even if he wasn't the killer, he would have been a target. And the last thing I wanted at that point was to see anyone else dead. I looked over at Damien, he shared the same expression as I did.

"I'll go to his room and make sure he is alright." He assured me and turned around to walk down the hallway.

"Alright, let's rollout. Come on." The Detective pushed the Chief while me and Celine were behind. I turned back one last time to see Damien, but all I saw was the door to the room that me and Celine were in. It had shut itself, and it made me wonder if Damien went in there. I felt the urge to go back to that room and see what it was he was up to. But the Detective demanded me to come to him. "Come on, partner, come on!" I turned my body but kept my eyes on the door for a moment longer. I wished I could have gone and checked on Damien, but I had to follow the Detective to find this George fellow. I let the idea pass by me quickly and made it to one of the many doorways of this mansion that lead outside.

The Detective leaned over the Chief, both of them tried to stand their ground, not backing down from the challenge. "Lead the way, Cookie."

"Cookie? I'm not your cookie! I spent three weeks at culinary school! I earned the right to be called Chief!" He proclaimed.

"I'm very impressed. Just tell us where we're going! Come on! Let's go!" The Detective ordered the Chief as he opened the door and the four of us walked down the stone staircase around the manor, heading to a large opened garden with hedges and small bushes on the side of the concrete. I was in the far back, so it was hard for me to see. But we eventually came up to a spot where there was a street lamp hanging above a grassy area. "I think I see him." Mick stated as he told me and Celine. He took out his handgun from his outfit and began to point it at someone digging a hole in the dirt. One look at him and I knew it was the Groundskeeper from my vision. The same outfit and hair, not to mention the action. He must have the answers I was looking for. I stared up at Celine for a moment, she didn't say anything but she had this unnerving look. Her eyes were transfixed on the scene but it was clear she was more of a spectator in this than a player. "Hey! Buddy! Hands where I can see 'em!" The Detective warned as he pointed the gun at George.

"Hey, my hands are where they're supposed to be. Unless, of course, you'd like to dig the hole for yourself." George stated as he stopped digging and placed his shovel in the dirt, one hand on the handle of the tool the other at his side.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Mick asked.

"I'm the groundskeeper. I keep the ground, alright? I'd say look around. The ground is pretty well kept in this place, right?"

' **Welp, when you ask an obvious question, you get an obvious answer.'** I mentally stated to myself.

The Chief turned towards the Groundskeeper. "I'm sorry, man, this dick made me bring him out here."

"You shut up." The Detective warned then turned his attention back to George. "How do you not know about the murders going on in this house?" another round of thunder and lightning struck the sky, causing most of us to look up. "How do you not hear that lightning?"

"Lightning is the sky's business! Look at the ground! When the ground starts shooting up lightning, I'll let you know!"

"Alright then, smartass, why exactly are you digging that hole? And why shouldn't we suspect you for taking part in the death of your employer and his guests?"

George responded with a laugh and then gave his answer. "Employers and his guests come and go! Some die, some don't, some are murdered, some are not. It's not my business! I'm digging this hold for a burst water pipe, if that's alright with your gracefulness!"

"I told you. George didn't do nothin, man!" The Chief pointed at the Detective in his edgy voice again.

"See?" George stated as he walked out of the hole and placed both his hands on the handle of his shovel."I just did nothing."

"Forgive me for not taking you at face value. But we're all gonna come inside, we're gonna sit down and have a nice lovely chat. And get to the bottom of this before I lose my mind, and start dabbling in murder myself." The Detective shouted at the top of his lungs while thunder roared in the background.

"How many times must I tell you to not say that word?!" Celine angrily questioned as she looked at the Detective.

"This again!?" Mick rolled his eyes.

"You are just provoking the evil surrounding this place." Celine explained.

"Look lady, I don't know what kind of witchery you dabble in, but I believe in facts, not paranormal crap!"

"It is not paranormal!" Celine ranted as she and the Detective began to quarrel with each other. The Chief somehow ended up joining in, or rather he just watched as George rolled his eyes and was about to go back to the hole. I bit my lip and clenched my fist that held the ring in it.

"George!" I blurted out. The Groundskeeper turned back to me, his eyes transfixed as if he was not pleased with what I was about to say. But I needed to say it, he could be the only one that could help me get out of this nightmare.

"Now what do you want? I've told you what you needed, let me get back to work!" He barked at me.

I held out my hand, uncurling my fingers and showed off the ring in my palms. George looked down at it as I held it out. "Does this ring mean anything to you?!"

Georges' eyes narrowed and wavered. His mouth was agape as his eyes didn't leave the piece of jewelry. "Where… did you get that?"

"I took it from someone." I admitted, a bit of guilt in my voice but I kept talking. "I know I shouldn't have, but it called out to me. I know you know what this ring is. I know it's the reason I'm here. Tell me what this thing is! What does it mean? Please… come inside and tell me how to end this nightmare." I was practically begging at that point for him to help me. I was desperate, and I just wanted it all to be over.

He looked at me, eyes regaining the resilient light it had when he was backtalking the Detective. "Now, you listen to me, young lady." He pointed to me, voice serious in a deadly manner. "It's been fifteen hundred years since I've been in that house. And I am not about to break that winning streak now. I don't care how many murders there've been. I ain't going near that house!" He seemed set on his words. I opened my mouth, ready to protest, but he beat me to it. "However, there is one reason. One incident. One manifestation. That will get me into that madhouse." He took a step closer to me, eyes staring into mine. I clutched the ring in my palm and held the hand to my heart. His figure loomed over me, like a threat of its' own. "You had better pray to the gods that that reason never comes to pass." What was he talking about? pray to the gods? fifteen hundred years?! I knew this was all a dream, but even dreams make some sense or have some connection to my daily life and fantasies. Was he… talking about the entity's' dreams and past? I wanted to confront him about how much I knew already. What Celine has told me and what I saw in the visions. But I wasn't able to talk about that either. Instead, a longer and louder thunder clapped nearby. But not in the sky that time. We all turned around, seeing the mansion behind us. The house was glowing brightly inside as I saw from inside the windows. Red light like that of crimson streams covered the building.

George dropped his shovel and hopped up to the cemented sideway. "THAT THERE'S THE REASON!" He shouted as he made a mad dash down the pavement. The rest of us following him from behind. Running down the paved sideway, we entered the house and made our way upstairs. The Detective drew out his gun, ready to shoot whatever would come his way. I ran past him and up the stairs, heading down the hallway. The same one that Celine lead me down as we went to the room she set up. The same one that Damien went into. George and Celine were already at the door as it opened, revealing Damien in an outline of red aura. His face was that of pure horror as he reached out his hand towards me. I could only look at him in shock as the creature that was plaguing my dreams and the same one that was haunting this house held him in its' grasp. "Somebody help me!" George pleaded as he and Celine began to shut the door.

I reached for his hand, as if I would have been able to grab Damien and free him from the demon. But the door was shut in his face as George and Celine closed it. "No!" I screamed but my voice was ignored as George began to lock the door. I went up to him, tugging at his clothes and trying to pull him back. "You have to let him out! He'll die!"

"He's already dead, Cosmo." Celine tried to assure me as she pulled me off of George. I stared at her, my eyes becoming watery and my heart sinking. She shook her head, wanting me to snap out of it. But I couldn't! I knew that Damien was just like them, another ego of Marks' personality. He wasn't real but to me, he felt like a genuine person. He was so nice to me and he defended me and helped me in any way her could. He was the only one that showed any sympathy towards this whole ordeal and now he became the next victim!

"What the hell is going on?" I turned around to see the Colonel making his way towards us. "Where's Damien?" he asked.

"He's gone," George stated bluntly, "and so is everyone else." He manuved his way past the Chief, Colonel and the Butler, heading down the hall.

"Wait a minute, where the hell do you think you're going?!" Mick questioned.

"Away from here! This place is cursed. If you'd half a brain, you'd do the same." He turned towards me in particular as he walked through the doorway and left us.

"Don't walk away from me! Where's Damien?!" the Colonel asked again, turning to anyone for answers.

"I've spent 25 years cooking for these uppity fucks. I'm not about to die for 'em! I quit! Bitch!" And he was the next one to walk out on us, though it was probably for the best I admitted. The Butler placed a hand on the Colonel, and in a slow and well-manner voiced tried to ease his anger.

"I know things seem far beyond your control right now, but such that is it for all of us here. I shall take my leave, and I implore you to do the same."

The Colonel only glared at the Butler and everyone else as his voice went deeper and more threatening. "I. Won't. Let my friend die. In this godforsaken house! And if you all are too much of a coward to do the same, you had best leave before I kill you myself!" He started to walk away from us as well, but the Detective followed.

"Now you hold on a second, I've got more questions-" he reached out and tried to grab the Colonel by his coat. But the other man shook him off.

"Get your hands off me!" He yelled and stomped down the hall with the Detective on his tail.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Celine demanded an answer as she looked at the Butler this time.

"I know he's in pain and I know you might be, too… But we need to leave this place. There's only death here now." He told Celine and I as he began to make his way down the hallway as well. I couldn't believe it… after everything that has happened, everyone decides now to just call it quits and leave?! What about Damien? What about the creature?! Was it all for nothing? I had come so close at that point, thinking I made some progress to try and rid myself of these night terrors. And I was just going to quit now?

Celine looked over at me, her face held the expression of worry. "Alright Cosmo, this is getting way out of hand. We need to leave now."

"What?" I gasped. "You said you could handle this! You were going to stop this!"

"This entity is far greater than I thought it was. If you stay here for much longer, you may not survive."

"Uh… I didn't allow myself to trust you just so you can back down. Come on, can't you just use a spell or one of your rituals to stop this?"

"Even if I knew a spell that could help us, it still wouldn't be enough to chase away this entity." Celine told me.

"So what? I'm just going to keep coming here and will eventually lose my sanity?"

"I didn't say that-"

"Really? Because it sounds like you're giving up! I know what is going on and I will not stand by and allow myself to fall further down this rabbit hole!"

Celine looked at me with crossed eyes. "Cosmo, listen to me. You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into. Your best chance of survival is to just lay low until I can figure out how to handle this." Celine grabbed my wrist and tried to drag me off. But I stood there, glaring up at Celine. My eyes grew hard as my heart was taking over my body.

"You lied to me…" I jerked my hand away from Celine and walked passed her.

"Cosmo, what are you doing?!"

I turned back around her and pointed at her. "I trusted you! I thought you would help me take care of this. But in reality, you're just as confused as I am. I've figured out that this was all a dream long before you showed up! I knew who these characters were before you jumped out of the bushes! I was getting somewhere and now I'm basically nowhere. But you know what, I'm not going to let that stop me!" I turned on my heels and was about to make my way through the hall.

"Cosmo, stop-"

"No!" I spoke with a newfound anger in my voice. I didn't look back at her, but instead just looked at the ring in my palm. "I am tired of people trying to take care of me! You think you know what's best for me but really you just end up putting me in these uncomfortable situations! And what's worse you yourselves can't fathom what is going on around you, so you try to put on a brave face and say you will take control of everything. Hoping I won't notice that everything is alright when it's not. But you have no idea what I've seen or how I act. I'm not helpless… I'm not as disable as people believe me to be. This has to mean something, and I'll find out the answers myself if I have to. I don't need you help!" I waited in the silence for awhile. Waiting and expecting Celine to say something that would make me change my mind. I turned my head just to take a peak, only to find I was alone in the long corridor. I turned my head in every direction, but Celine was nowhere to be seen. I had gotten my wish, and I began to regret it. I clutched the ring in my hand and placed it to my chest. Somehow it calmed me down, even if it was cursed as the groundskeeper stated. I took a deep sigh and looked around where I was. It was clear that I was on my own, but maybe it was for the best. Perhaps I would be able to figure out what was really going on here.

"Well, I got my wish. Now I have to prove to myself this is what I wanted." My first thought was to open up the door where Damien was locked in. I reached for the handle and tried to open the door, but it didn't work. "Right, the groundskeeper locked it…" I knocked on the door, hoping Damien would respond. But no such luck. I wrapped my arms around my body, looking at the ground. "I'm sorry Damien… I know you're not a real person, but… this all just feels wrong." I turned around and began to walk down the hallway, making my way through the manor. I didn't know where I was going at that point, but I had to go somewhere. There had to have been something I missed… I just had to keep my eyes open. I walked through the hallway, then found myself walking down the stairs that Markiplier walked down when I first arrived here. Right before he was the first one to have been killed. Then I found my way back to the living area where I saw Damien talking with the Detective when I first came through those doors. Just last night this place was so lively full of laughs and merriment, and now it was so silent I thought I could hear ghosts walking through these rooms.

I looked through the opening that lead to the dining room and the kitchen. I didn't see the Chief in there, guess he was true to his words about leaving. I was actually tempted to go into the room, as his threatening words of "Stay out of my kitchen" rang through my brain. Wanting to be rebellious, and believing no one would stop me I walked through the small space and looked around. The miniature Chief was still on the counter, sending me a shiver down my spine. I always hated puppets and small statues. They just seemed creepy to me. I mostly blamed horror games and tv shows, especially Goosebumps. That was the one show that really gave me a fear of puppets. I quickly walked out of the kitchen, regretting going in there. I soon found myself in another living area, the same one where the wine cellar was located nearby. Now that I thought about it, I didn't get a chance to look through this room thoroughly. I walked around the area until I came across an opened room. There was a desk in there and what looked like papers. "Okay… that room looks new…"

I entered and looked around, red curtains with golden designs draped over most of the walls. A large wooden desk took up most of the space, with two plushed and decorative chairs on one side. I looked to the other side of the desk and noticed a large bookcase with drawers and shelves. What was most noticeable was what else was on it. Covering a large portion of the wooden bookcase, were papers and pictures. I went over and looked at what was on there. There were pictures of Markiplier and his alter egos. But there were also other pictures of other people, people that were close with Mark. Other YouTubers he did collabs with like the GameGrumps, MatPat, RandomEncounters, NateWantsToBattle, Matthias, Cyndago, and Jacksepticeye. But there was something very off about the picture that was Jack's… his eyes had black X's over them and a slice across his neck. Above his picture there were bolded letters INFECTED. That alone gave me chills, wondering what made Jack's picture stood out so much it had to be marked. There was also pictures of Mark's team members, like Ethan, Tyler, and Katheryn. Not to mention Marks' girlfriend Amy. His mother, father and brother as well. It was Markiplier's' life and people…

"What is this….? Was someone keeping tabs on Mark? But who?" I turned to the desk, seeing a typewriter that has a page in it with a few notes to its' side. "A typewriter? I think I had one of those that my mom got me from an antique shop. But it required a lot of ink, and that was expensive. I prefer computers anyways, more modern and a typewriter doesn't know how to autocorrect." I stared at the typewriter and smiled genuinely the first time in awhile since I came here. "I'm surprised Mark was able to get one, you can't really find them these days. Reminds me of when he and Ethan and Tyler made fanfictions together… That sounded more perverted when you think about it." Especially when I took into account the types of fanfictions people tended to write about. I should know, I was like that at one point. I checked the papers next to the old machine and looked through them.

" _ **September 1, 2017**_

 _ **The gang an I are at Pax West, we arrived just last night and had to get everything ready for the panels. Amy and Kathryn did a great job and now we're all ready to get underway with the next few days full of conventions and panels."**_

"September 1… that was seven months ago." I said to myself. "Is this Marks' diary? Never would have thought he'd be that kind of person. But maybe there's something in here that could help me out."

" _ **September 6th, 2017**_

 _ **Pax is over and I'm looking forward to the next convention we get to go to. For now, I'm happy to be back home and hang out with the crew and make videos of let's plays and comedy skits. I got a bunch of stuff at the convention, which I'll show my fans later on for one of my vlogs. For now though, we're going to be busy the next few weeks. Before we left we started a project and now we need to do a bunch of editing and a few more takes so we can upload these videos in less than a month. I'm sure those who appreciate horror and mystery will like this project of ours, "Who Killed Markiplier?"**_

"That title doesn't sound ominous at all." I sarcastically claimed upon looking at that entry. "I wonder if this project has to do with what is going on."

" _ **September 10th, 2017**_

 _ **We were doing a few re-takes on some of the scenes in the location of the project, but something was off. Everytime I went to change outfits, I would hear these strange noises. Voices, of warnings and I thought I was beginning to hallucinate as I kept seeing things that weren't actually there. I shook it off at first, believing it was just the atmosphere and the spirit of this work we've been doing. But the more we stay at this mansion, the stronger this unpleasant feeling inside me gets."**_

"Hallucinations? Voices? That's the same thing I've been experiencing since I started having these dreams. Can it really be connected?" I read more, and it only got worse.

" _ **September 11th, 2017**_

 _ **The others are worried about me. They can see I'm becoming more paranoid as the days go by on this project. I try to put on a brave facade, but they can see through it. It's hard to put on a good mask when I barely have the strength to keep up appearances.**_

" _ **September 12th, 2017**_

 _ **We spend the day editing everything and not doing any acting or scene taking. I felt better, but when we called it a night I still dreamt about those voices. I'm beginning to question my own sanity. At this point, I might have to get a Doctors' opinion.**_

" _ **September 15, 2017**_

 _ **I can't take it anymore… I've tried everything but the symptoms get worse. The others try to help but not even I know what is going on! I'm scared that if this goes on, I might start to hurt myself, or worse the ones I love. What's worse is, my body seems to be taking the damage. My skin keeps getting warmer, I've grown more tired and the bags under my eyes are proof. And when I looked at the mirror that morning, I thought my eyes were becoming black."**_

"He sounds scared… whatever is going on with him, whether it would be real or not, sounds like it was painful mentally and physically." I looked through the rest of the papers, but there wasn't any other papers written on. "Damn, the pages ran out." I glanced back at the typewriter and checked out the paper that was being written.

" **September 20, 2017**

 **I am sorry… I'm so sorry everyone… but I can not deal with this alone. I am sorry… I can't control it anymore… I am sorry… I am sorry… Goodbye…"**

"Markiplier…" My voice trailed off in a low volume as I read the last page he was writing. I looked away from the typewriter and paper, taking in the words he wrote. At this point, I wasn't sure which parts of this dream were mine, the entity's' or… even Marks'. Did this mean that somehow Mark himself really was connected to all of this, and not just my inner fangirls' fantasies? "What was going on with him? Was he being plagued by the same creature as I am right now? Why is this creature doing this!? What did we ever do to it to want us dead?!" I shivered as I looked through the desk again. Even though I was hesitant to do so, a bit skeptical of what else I might uncover, I had to be through. Off to the far left side of the desk was a picture Mark and the Teamiplier crew, including Chica his dog. One look at the picture though and I knew what was already off. The glass was broken for one and Mark in that picture, his eyes were crossed out with black x's as well and a black slash across his neck, similar to Jacksepticeye's picture. What was it about the eyes and neck that were so significant? "I'm starting to not like this more and more…" I told myself as I placed the picture down. I took one more look around the room, thinking I had already seen more than enough in here and was going to make my way out. I had thought about asking the Detetive about this, if he was still around. But a familiar accent walked through that door.

"There you are!" I turned around towards where I entered, seeing the Colonel standing in the doorway.

"Colonel…" I gasped.

"I've been meaning to ask you some questions-" his voice trailed off and his focus was lost on me as he looked around the room. Seeing the plotted out map behind the desk as well as the pages of Mark's diary. "What is this?" he questioned. "The Detective's been keeping tabs on us?" he reached for a piece of paper on the map, though I couldn't see what it was exactly, I got the word "Colonel" from where I was standing. "The Detective's been keeping tabs on me. And Mark! He's the one who orchestrated ALL of this!"

"Colonel?"

"He DID this! Detective!" the Colonel reached into his boot and took out his gun.

"Colonel, wait!" I called out and ran after him as he left the room.

"DETECTIVE!" Colonel shouted louder this time, his feet walking him up the stairs to the second level of the mansion. I followed behind him, even though I knew it was a bad idea. Especially considering he had that silver pistol in his hands that was most likely loaded. But if he was going to do what I thought he was going to do, someone had to try and stop him. Sure, maybe what I saw in there could have been connected to the Detective, but that didn't mean he was the cause behind this. I wanted to tell the Colonel what I knew, about this demon that was creating this dream state. But would he even believe me? Not if he was just another pawn. "Where is he?" he asked. "He took them from me… He took my friends from ME. Where is he?" The Colonel began to speak in a rushed and violent tone as he started to check every room on the top floor.

"Colonel, you need to calm down!" I advised him.

"WHERE IS HE?! DETECTIVE! Are you hiding him from me?!" He glared at me, causing me to jump in fright.

"No! Colonel, please! Just put the gun away and we can talk about this!"

He didn't listen to me though. "He can't hide forever. GET OUT OF MY WAY!" He pushed me aside and walked down the narrow corridor, where the Detective was checking out the door to the room Celine and I were at. "DETECTIVE!" the Colonel called out to him. Holding his silver pistol, he aimed it at the man. While the Detective took out his hand gun and pointed it at the Colonel.

"You'd better choose your next words carefully, Colonel." The Detective warned.

"Only my friends get to call me by that name, and you, sir, are NO friend of mine!"

"Well, you're one to talk about friends, you MURDERER!" The Detective called him out as thunder roared out throughout the manor.

"I didn't kill anybody! This is MADNESS!" The Colonel exclaimed.

"Guys! Please! The Colonel is right! Stop this now before it ends in bloodshed!" I exclaimed, trying to get through to them. But it was like I wasn't even there because they didn't even listen.

"Oh, you wanna talk about madness? Madness is stealing your best friend's fame! Madness is squeezing him for cash to fund your own exploits with his very fans!"

"SHUT UP!" the Colonel growled through gritted teeth.

"Detective, enough!"

"Madness is plotting the death of your friends because you can't handle the- " the Detective was caught off midsetece. The Colonel pulled the trigger on his gun, a loud bang sounded and echoed through the corridor mixing with another thunder strike. I watched in horror as the Detective staggered, gripping his gun for a moment only to let it fall right out of his fingers. His body hit the floor and the red liquid started to pour out of his body as quickly as a river. My hand went to my mouth, trying to cover up my gasps. My widened eyes just stared at the scene before me. It felt like an eternity as I watched the Detectives' color drain from his skin. I looked up at the Colonel, his focus on the new corpse. The gun in his hand shaking as his arm was unsteady. He moved his head, turning to look at me. My whole body went cold as his brown eyes that were covered with his weird glasses stared at me. My feet began to move on their own, and the next thing I knew I was running out of the hallway and down the stairs. I was frightened, my fears took over me. I was worried that he would shoot me next, that a bullet would be put into me and I would end up dead like the Detective. After everything that has happened in just this night alone, I wouldn't be surprised if I would have been the next victim. I hopped down the stairs, somehow not tripping in my high heels, and ran towards the main entrance. I braged against the door and stumbled outside. I looked down and took a few gasps of air, having deflated my lungs from the running. When I was nearly done regaining my breath, I looked up thinking I would see a gray sky and the driveway of the manor waiting before me. But instead, what awaited me was darkness around me. Blackness covered the skies and I could hardly see what was before my eyes.

"W-what?!" I slowly stepped down the staircase and landed on the soft dirt beneath my feet with patches of grass scattered in different areas. Where did the driveway go? Where did the fountain, the trees, and the town below vanish to? Where was I?! I walked out into the grassy fields, not wanting to go back inside. So my options at that point was either I walked out into the darkness with no clear direction of where I was going or go back inside and risked being shoot by an unstable madman. At that point, eternal darkness seemed more like a better judgement to me.

I walked out, no idea where I was going. All I knew was that everything seemed the same, expect for the manor that grew farther and farther behind me. I kept going straight, thinking that just by going in one direction I would get somewhere faster rather than just running around aimlessly. Though as I kept walking deeper into the dark abyss on my own, I found myself more vulnerable and grew more anxious. It wasn't necessarily the darkness that frightened me, it was what could be hiding in the darkness that made me on guard. You never knew what the black veil could be obscuring behind its' body and I dare not find out. I hugged myself as I kept walking through the midnight, dead meadow. Not out of coldness but rather for comfort. It was at that point I began to regret wishing to be alone. I wanted someone to be by my side, telling me it would all be okay. That I was strong enough to get through this. Sometimes though, words alone were not enough to give you strength. No matter how many times I kept repeating to myself that I would find a way out of this mad dream, I still had seeds of doubt planted in the back of my mind. I alone could not weed them out.

I stopped suddenly as my ears picked up a strange noise. I turned around, looking in all directions to see where the source was coming from. It was quiet at first but soon it picked up. Laughter? Was someone laughing? It sounded like children, but their laughter… the way it was mingled together made it sound very creepy. "H-hello?" I foolishly called out into the grassy plain. Perhaps it was my curiosity that drove me to ask. All I knew was, I would most likely not be pleased with the response.

" **I don't quite feel like myself…"**

I stepped back where I was as that echoey voice rang out from nowhere. That voice… it sounded like Markipliers' voice but there was something off. "W-who's there?!" I questioned, fear taking over and trying to disguise itself as bravery.

" **I've been having strange dreams lately… but now you're here."** The laughter got louder in all directions. I looked and noticed figures coming out from the darkness. Their long limbs and patchy features growing closer and closer to me. I knew right away they weren't human. " **And I'll make you feel right at home."**

I picked up my feet and ran as fast as I could. The figures still chasing me, getting closer and closer. I tossed off my heels during the run, and even though the floor beneath me was grassy and chilly, it made me want to push myself further. I didn't look back at the figures, if I did I would have been paralyzed and they would have caught me. The only thing I could think of at the time was getting out of this dream. But how? Why couldn't I wake up yet? I wanted to get out of this dream! I kept running, my lungs felt like they were on fire and my throat was dry. My feet nearly tripped over an edge. I looked down to see I was standing on the ledge of a deep abyss, darker than the sky around me. I only stared as I was trapped between a bottomless pit and a hoard of pawns. I turned around, now getting a better look at what was coming my way. Tons upon tons of rag-doll like figures were laughing their way towards me. I tried to backup, but if I did any further I would have fallen. And I was not desperate enough to jump to my probable demise.

They were moving closer and closer, and I was a sitting duck at that point. I clenched my hands into fists, scared by embracing myself for what would be my fate. I closed my eyes, preparing for the worse. But immediately opened them when I felt the warmth in one of my hands growing hotter. I opened the palm of my glowing red fingers and noticed the ring in my hand was brightly shining a brilliant red. The laughter died down and instead was replaced with shuddering crying. I looked over and saw the rag-doll creatures cowering away from me. Were they… actually afraid of this ring? I looked back down at it, the gem in the silver band glowing more intensely by the second. I narrowed my eyes and bit my lip, though it was unlikely, it was an idea I had to try. I turned my head and stared at the rag-dolls in their dead button-eyes. Holding up the ring as high as I could while it shone on us all.

"I. Will. Not. Stand by and allow myself to fall into this darkness!" I cried out as the ring started to blind me in its red light. "I am not afraid! Now let me out!" I screamed as I was covered in the redness and became blurred in the ever illuminated tone.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

I shot up in bed, gasping for breath as I awoke that morning. I threw the sheets off my being, Oliver with them. I looked around to see myself back in the room again, the morning light pouring into the small space through the window above the bed frame. I placed my shaking hand up to my sweaty forehead and tried to regain my breathing. That was probably the most vivid and most terrifying dream I've had as of late. I looked into my other hand, where the ring was still there, but it no longer glowed. I stared at the ring for a long time, my eyes becoming wide. Oliver jumped up on the bed again, his flat face pressed against my open fingers. I looked down at him as his doe brown eyes stared up at me. My thin lips curled into a smile and a bit of laughter escaped my mouth. I reached over and hugged my dog, holding him tightly. "I did it, Oliver! I conquered the demon!" I cheered as I let Oliver go. He just stared at me, titled head and wide eyes. I didn't expect him to understand, and I was glad. I just had to tell someone. I looked back at the ring and a strong feeling of victory pulsed through me.

I jumped out of bed and headed towards the kitchen. I realized that I was the first one up as the house was still silent. I quietly grabbed a few pans and set them on the stove then went to the fridge to get the ingredients to start making some breakfast. It took me a half an hour, but breakfast was done and just in time as I heard footsteps from the hallway approaching the kitchen. I turned around from the stove to see Kay waking up, rubbing the tiredness from her eyes. "Morning sleepyhead." I joked as I stirred the eggs a few more times.

She looked at me, she was slow to register what was going on so she pointed to the plates of food on the counter. "What's this?"

"Breakfast for the three of us." I stated. She went to the table and sat down while I followed her and presented her with her plate and orange juice.

Her eyes went wide as her mouth began to water just looking at the scrambled eggs, bacon and crispy toast. "Wow, this looks good!" She grabbed her fork and dug right into the eggs, bringing them to her mouth and began to chew them. After swallowing, she looked up at me and smiled. "And they taste great too. You made this?"

"I got up early and since we have a long day ahead of us, I wanted to give you and Kris one less thing to worry about. We're going to need all the strength we can get for the fundraiser event tonight." I pointed out.

"Woah, you must have woken up on the right side of the bed this morning. In fact," Kay squinted her eyes as she studied me from my toes to my face. "You seem… different this morning."

I shrugged with an innocent grin. "What can I say, I'm just in a good mood today." I didn't want to go into detail, but it was true. Even though the dreams I had were preventing me from doing my daily activities with my sisters, at that point I believed it was all over. That that night I would end up having a normal dream since I faced my demons.

A yawn from the hallway caught our attention. We looked to see Kris walking in her bathrobe and pajamas, heading towards the table to take a seat. "Morning loves…" she half said, half yawned.

"Morning sis," I replied to her. "Want some breakfast?" she turned to me and nodded. I headed to the counter to give her her plate and cup then went back to get my own tray and sat with my two family members.

"Thanks for making breakfast, Kate." Kay said again as she finished off her bacon.

"Manks…" Kris muttered as she took a sip of orange juice.

"Guess not all of us woke up in a chipper mood." I stated as I glanced over at Kris.

She looked at us, eyes half open and full of sand. "Sorry, Juan called me last night and needed my help making sure everything was in order. He has a bad habit of calling and organizing everything at the last minute."

"I'm surprised you even allowed him to help you out with this event, considering how important it is." I bluntly stated.

"I'm beginning to regret doing so, but Juan and I go way back and he always helped me when it came to the school committees. When I told him I would take over the non-profit for my mother's' sake, he didn't hesitate to join in and help in any way he can." Kris explained.

"Though maybe he should just stick to putting our name out there rather than be an event planner." Kay commented.

"With how much is going into this event and how much needed to be plan, I had to get as much help as I could gather." Kris said.

"What, are we not enough for you?" I joked with a raised brow.

Kris laughed. "If you wanted to be in charged of planning the party, all you had to do was asked. Though you could have said so sooner." We all laughed along at that comment. It had been so long since I had laughed in my own reality, I thought I would have forgotten. I guess I had been so stressed out with everything lately that all my emotions bottled up inside started to slowly pour out. I felt a great relief as I put on an actual face instead of a mask for once in a long time.

?

We gathered everything up in bags and headed out for the place where the event would soon take place. We had to leave fairly early, at around nine in the morning, because we had to get ready at the location and set it up. Kris had to call someone to babysit Oliver, since we would be gone for most of the day and probably night. She wasn't so sure how long this event would be, but she had to take precautions. Though she did assure me that if things were going too slow, she would have Kay drive me back to the house. Though I doubted it would come to that, and besides I wanted to be there for my sister all the way. This event not only meant the world to her, but it would mean so much to our mom. Therefore, it should mean just as much to me.

We drove off down to the place where it would be held. As we drove on, small conversations were talked about in the moving vehicle. Mostly topics about what hairstyles we would get and what kinds of makeup we thought we would wear. Usually I don't partake in these kinds of topics, they seemed too girly for my taste. But I was happy to just be talking about some normal conversations. Anything to get my mind off of the past nights of those nightmares. Part of me couldn't stop thinking about them though.

On one hand, I was pleased that it seemed I had vanquished the terrors in my dreams. Though I wasn't exactly sure how I did it, all I knew was it had something to do with the ring. I looked down upon my left hand where the silver band with the red stone was placed. Even though a part of me still felt unsure about it, I just had to have it with me. I thought it was a small trophy I had gained after using it to destroy those rag-doll figures and that demon in my dreams. In a way, it was like a good luck charm.

Then again, I was still not exactly sure why I had such dreams. I mean, it was great that I had finally conquered them after three long nights, but so many questions still remained unanswered. Who was it that actually killed Markiplier and the other alter egos? Was Celine a real person or was she just part of the dream I created? And… Damien. Every time I thought about him my chest tightened. I knew he was just another ego and part of the dream. But seeing him with that look of horror on his face as he tried to reach out for me. I would attempt to grab him and pull him out of the darkness, but that door slammed in his face to mark his end. I wished out of all of them, I could have at least saved him. Surely though, he would have been happy to know that I had conquered the demon and was freed. But why did I still feel a sense of guilt towards someone who wasn't even real?

All thoughts relating to him and the dreams flew out of my head once we parked in the parking lot of the location. I hopped out of the car, grabbing my bag and headed inside. The place we were at was supposed to be some sort of storage unit full of strange and antique relics. Upon entering, the first thing I saw was a counter with a bunch of wine and beer stored in their holders on shelves. Seeing it reminded me of the wine cellar from the mansion in the dreams, immediately I went further into the place to get away from the very sight. There was a large space where tables were set up and each table had eight chairs around about. There was a small area for kids to play with board games and coloring books in a corner that was close by. There was a back area where most of the storage shelves and tables were, hiding behind a large curtain. There was a small room back there where me and my sisters would be getting ready. I remember that this was the same place that Kris and Kay had their wedding at. I'll never forget how happy they were as they said their vows, as I made my speech that made them tear up and how they had their first dance as newlyweds. Coming back here brought back happy memories, to a time before my life became what it was.

"Don't look so breath-taken. It ain't even finished yet." I whipped my head to the side and saw a young adult male standing before me. He wore a smile that spread ear to ear and his tan skin showed that he was of Brazilian descent.

Kris and Kay walked into the space, Kris had a smile on her own face as she went over and hugged the man. "Good to see you again, Juan."

Juan patted Kris on her back before breaking away. "You hardly call me anymore unless it's to talk about the non-profit."

"Sorry, when I'm not running a healthcare organization, I'll be sure we meet up for lunch sometime." Both of them laughed at her response. The two of them had been friends since their high school days. They first met when they joined the school committee to try and change up a few strict policies for everyone to be welcomed. They both had the same ideas and goals and became not only the greatest of friends, but partners in business. He was even her best man at the wedding here. It seemed not so long ago yet felt like a distant memory.

Juan then began to explain, "I came in early to finish setting up as much as I could before you got here. So far, the tables and stage are all up and read. All that's left is to decorate, get the food ready and bring in the music."

"The event isn't supposed to take place until five tonight. We have plenty of time to set up." Kay assured. "Thanks for doing as much as you can Juan."

"Hey, I may start late but I do get things done." He pointed out.

"Well, we better get to work if we want to get everything finished." Kris crossed her arms and smiled. "Juan, you will go out and get the DJ equipment so we can start figuring out what kind of music we have and can play during tonight." She then turned to her wife. "Kay, you take the car and get the food we need. Make sure you double check the menu before you agree to the orders." She then looked at me, her little sister. "Kate, you and I are in charged of the decorations. It may not seem much but it's a very big deal."

I nodded towards her, ready for the task. "Just tell me what to do!" I spoke with confidence. Once Juan and Kay left the room to do their projects, Kris looked at me and told me what my missions were. "First, let's set the tables. Each table will get a certain cloth and a certain bouquet of flowers. There's a list of that information on the table in the back." I smiled and headed down towards the back of the room, past the curtain and saw a table where there were a bunch of vases full of flowers and neat piles of table clothes. There were three colors of cloths; ivory white, mid sky blue and leaf green. As for the flower, there were three types; roses, lilies and orchids. I checked the small list on the table and read it outloud.

"Let's see…. tables 2, 4 and 6 will have the ivory white cloth. tables 1, 5, 7 and 9 will get the leaf green cloth and tables 3, 8 and 10 will have the mid sky blue cloth. Tables with ivory white get the lilies, tables with mid sky blue get the orchids and the tables that have the leaf green get the roses. Easy enough to remember!" I said to myself. First I took the cloths and placed them at their assigned tables. Then I went back and put the vases of flowers at the tables depending on the color of their cloth. It only took me about twenty minutes. When Kris looked at the work, she was pleased.

"Not bad, if I do say so myself."

"What's next?" I asked her, ready to take on my next assignment.

For the next few hours, I did my best to set up everything. Kris and I worked on getting the stage ready by placing the microphone and speakers on the stage and placed the banner high above it. We also had to put up the disco ball when it would be time for the dancing. Kay came back with the food and I helped her choose what kind of food the guests would be able to eat. It was a hard choice, but I think I did fairly well, at least that was what Kay told me. Kris and Juan also put me in charge of the song genre we would listen to as the event went on. I decided to stick with classical music and pop music. Making sure it would switch back and forth so it sounded sophisticated for the older guests but the pop would be for the younger guests when they wanted to dance. By the time we were done, we had two hours to spare before the doors would be officially open. All four of us looked out at the large space for the fundraiser. All of us having pleased smiles upon our faces. I turned over to look at Kris, seeing how proud she was at our hard work.

"Is it as great as you imagined it?" I asked her.

"Better than I would have ever dreamed." She responded as she embraced me in a big hug. "Thanks for being such a great helper, sis."

"This event means the world to us and mom. I want to make her proud."

A bit of sadness crept into our smiles. Kris placed a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. "She would be proud of the woman you've turned out to be."

I nodded, and for the first time in a long time I was genuinely happy. Kris turned to look over at Kay and Juan. "Well, now that everything is set up, we should get ourselves ready."

"Yeah, I still have to get my suit on. Haven't worn one since the last time I was here." Juan stated.

"Come on Kate," Kris grabbed my hand and began to lead me to the back area with Kay behind us. "We'll do the makeup back there and put on the dresses. The hair and makeup will take about half an hour."

As we passed by the large curtain, we took a left and headed passed a few large shelves. Then took a right where a small tent with two makeup areas, each with a desk and mirror. My older sister sat me down at one of the areas and took out a bunch of hair and makeup products. There was a few outlets in the small room, just enough for a straightener and curling iron. Kris got to work on my hair, since it was baby-fined as she calls it, it was easy to handle but difficult to get it to the right position. It took a lot of hairspray and pins to keep my hair up. But eventually she was able to put it in a large upper bun with a bit of my hair cascading off to the side of my face. After that, she put on the foundation to cover up my face, gave me eyeliner and eyeshadow, then added a bit of blush to brighten my cheeks and put a bit of lip gloss on me. When I was done, she spun me around so both her and Kay could see me.

Kris gasped and smiled like the mother figure she was trying to be. "You look beautiful…"

"Thanks…" I rolled my eyes, knowing that statement was coming.

"Sometimes I forget how old you really are." Kay stated.

"That's because the older I get, the more older you feel." I pointed out with a giggle.

"Hey, when you get to be our age, you will know what we mean." Kay crossed her arms.

I crossed my own arms. "That's more than a decade away."

"It'll be closer than you think." Kay argued.

"Okay, our turn!" Kris squeled as excited as a kid getting a brand new toy.

"Looks like we might take a while longer." Kay noted.

I grabbed the bag that held my dress in and threw it over my shoulder. "Is there another room that I can use to get ready in? You two should take this one."

"I think there's a closet near the front entrance where they put the jackets in. You sure you want to get dressed there and not stay here?" Kay looked at me with worry.

I batted my hand to assure her. "I'll be fine, getting the dress on won't take me long anyways." I then headed off before either of them could say anything to protest further. I made my way passed the curtain, through the room and when I neared the entrance, I took a left turn to go into the closet. It was fairly big for a place where only jackets would be stored. There was also a body sized mirror against one wall. Maybe this place was meant to be for another purpose, but I wasn't sure what. I unzipped my bag and took out the dress, only taking me a minute to take off my clothes I had on and another minute to get the dress onto me. I flattened it a bit and went to the mirror to check it out. Twirling around and raising the skirt a bit. I wasn't really a fan of the color, I had always liked green the most. But there wasn't much I could do about that now. For just tonight, it would work.

"Not as fancy as the one I had in the dream, but it'll do." I said to myself. Mentioning that dream again, but it didn't phase me as much. "I kind of wish I could have worn that dress for this occasion tonight. But it was only a dream… a really messed up one." I continued to look in the mirror and shrugged. "Oh well, at least it's over and everything is back to normal. Well, as normal as it can get for me at least." I turned around on my heels and was about to make my way out. As soon as my hand reached the handle, I froze upon hearing a voice.

"Hey!" I whipped my head around, looking for whatever it was that made that sound.

"Eh?" I blinked and walked towards the center of the room. I shook my head, trying to get out of the delusion. "No, no, not this again. It was just the wind or your mind playing tricks on you, Cosmo." I tried to assure myself, but the voice kept talking.

"Help!"

I jumped and frantically scanned the room. "W-who's there?! I-I'm warning you!" I raised my fist that had the ring on my finger into the air. Ready to use the strange object in the same way I used it against those rag dolls from my dream last night. I wasn't going to allow whatever it was haunt me anymore. I was stronger now, more confident and wiser about the situation than I was before.

"Cosmo!" I froze upon hearing my alias being called. No one that was here called me by that name, usually only my fans or those online. So… who? "Over here! Please!" I looked back at the reflective surface leaning against the wall. A bad feeling crept its way into me, but I had to know. I walked closer to the mirror and looked at it, wondering what horror awaited me. Everytime I looked at these mirrors, something would hold them other than my reflection. I stared at the surface, wondering what could be hiding in the glass this time.

"Hel-" A hand from inside the mirror slapped itself onto the surface. I backed away, fear taking over my body. "Eep!" I nearly tripped and fell on my butt, but I was able to catch myself just in time. Eventually, that hand was followed by a figure, a female figure.

"Cosmo!"

I blinked, at first to see if I was seeing things correctly. "Celine?" she looked at me, terrified and worried. "No…" I took another step back and closed my eyes and covered my ears. "No! You can't do this to me again! I'm not falling for it!"

"Cosmo, we don't have time." Celine warned me, but not in a demanding voice. Was she, pleading?

I looked up at her and said in a raised voice. "I don't care! You're just part of my imagination. You aren't real!"

"Listen to me," Celine was persistent. The lights in the room went out and I began to panic. I ran to the door but it wasn't opening, it was locked from the outside. I turned back around and saw Celine placing her hands in front of her, having them clapped together.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I partially cried.

"I'm only trying to help you. Please, you are still in danger."

"No I'm not! I defeated the evil inside my dreams! I used the ring to do so!"

Celine only shook her head. "No, Cosmo. That ring is the cause of all of this." My eyes went wide and they slowly moved towards the ring on my finger. My tips began to shake rapidly and my heartbeat was going crazy, I thought it would burst out of my chest. I looked back at Celine, taking a few steps forward. "Look, I know you have questions and I can't answer everything right now. But you need to know that the creature possessing your dreams is still inside your mind."

"...it wants the ring… doesn't it?"

We were both quiet for a moment, Celine kept looking at me but I avoided her eyes. I clenched my fists and bit my lip. "Just when things were getting better… why is this happening!"

"I know how you feel. Someone like you shouldn't have gotten involved in this but you have. After you left, I did a bit more research on Markiplier and his alter egos. One stood out to me the most. Are you familiar with Darkiplier?"

I looked back up at Celine, confusion taking over my somber features. I blinked away the tears forming. I looked at the ground for a moment, trying to think about the name. "It… sounds familiar." I stated as I rubbed my chin with my finger. "If I'm not mistaken, he is Mark's alter ego that is more cunning and villains than his other egos. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"I believe that the demon that has plagued your dreams could have taken the form of Darkiplier." Celine explained.

I was more shocked than anything. On the one hand, it makes sense. I barely knew much about Darkiplier, but I was aware that he was the most terrifying alter ego from Marks' channel out of all of them. But something didn't quite add up. "That can't be though. During my time in the mansion, I didn't see Darkiplier."

"Are you sure?" Celine seemed unconvinced.

"Yeah, from what I remember, Dark has gray skin and he always wears a suit. Not to mention he has an echoey voice. If he was there, I would have seen him." My mind was trying to think back to all the time I spent at the manor, trying to remember everyone I had saw and knew. I was reminded of Googleplier, and the files he showed us. The one file that was titled 'Dark' and the blacked out texted surfaced into me. "But… I did look over some files of the alter egos in Marks' room. There was a file titled Dark but a lot of the letters were blocked out. I didn't know what it meant at the time though…"

"If this creature is possessing Darkiplier as its form, then it will most likely do anything to cover up its' tracks."

"So… does that mean I'll just keep going back to that dream world until Darkiplier finishes me off?!"

Celine stared at me for a long moment, no reassurance were in her eyes or voice when she spoke. "I'm afraid so."

I backed up a few feet and self-hugged myself. I felt like I was about to cry. All day I had strong confidence that I had finally ended that nightmare realm and could try to live my life without anymore fear. But now it turns out I was wrong, and it had to have been on the night of the fundraiser. Why?! Why was this happening to me?1 That was all I could think at the time. Celine however, had an idea. "But now that I know what you are facing and what it wants, there might be a way you can stop it."

"What do you mean?" I stared up at the reflection of Celine.

"Last night, you've proven that the creature isn't the only one that can manipulate the environment it created in your dream to its advantage. That creature is still inside of your mind, but after you stunned it with the ring, before you awoke, it severely damaged the area and even the creature. You can use this opportunity to get rid of the being and drive it out of your mind."

"You mean I can kick it out? Is that really possible?" my voice was gaining more hope as I asked these questions. And I began to quake in the feeling as Celine nodded.

"That ring has a lot of powers you are not familiar with. A normal human that is inexperienced would have perished when using it by now. Yet somehow you can use it to your will, barely though. You have only scratched the surface of what it is capable of. But that is probably for the best, seeing as how you do not have the training to comprehend it. This is getting us nowhere though and off topic. Cosmo, I need you to listen careful. I can send you back to that mansion in your dream state. That is where you will find the creature. You need to find it while it is still weak and use the ring to push it out of your mind."

"But how can I do that? I wasn't the one that used the ring last night, it just acted on it's own. I just raise it up and shouted at the creatures to leave me alone." I raised my arm with the ring on my finger to make a point.

"Perhaps that is all you need. Just do that when you see the creature and you can drive it out of your mind. I won't force you to go back, but this is the only way you can get rid of that demon and be freed."

I was unsure about this plan working, but if what Celine was saying was true, then this would be my only chance of finally getting rid of whatever it was that was causing me these night terrors. At that point, I was sure I had lost my sanity at that point so it didn't matter if I was going down the rabbit hole. Eventually I would reach the bottom. I had to go along with it, thinking that embracing it meant that it would be easier to accept how to handle it. I slowly nodded towards Celine and a smile crept its way up her face. She nodded and motioned with her hand for me to come closer. I walked up to the mirror, but my reflection wasn't there. In its place was Celine.

"Alright, press your hands against the surface and relax. Don't think about anything."

I nodded and began to raise my arms to get them on the mirror. "So, how will I know where to go?" I asked.

"When you get back to the manor, it will most likely have changed due to the demon being exposed. I recommend trying to find a place that seems like it has changed drastically or might be so out of place, you barely recognize it. I do not know what the demon has done since you've been gone, but you must prepare yourself. And be cautious, this time it might just try to kill you."

"And… what will happen if I die?"

Celine shook her head. "Then you will never come back." I swallowed my fear yet it still lingered in my mouth. The very thought of dying in this world was enough for me to reconsider this decision. But I had already agreed to this and if I backed out now, then I would only suffer more until this demon got what it wanted. But this was a big deal for me, if I was just dreaming usually dying meant I would only wake up. But this wasn't a dream, at least I was sure of that. I didn't know what to consider at that point. Regardless, I tried not to think about the dangers as I placed the palms of my hands on the cool surface. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind of any thoughts. I took deep breaths and waited, wondering how long it would be before I was transported or how long it has been since I stood there. I cracked my eye open to see my arms going through the glass. I gasped, beginning to panic but it was taken away as I fell through the surface.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

It felt like I dove right into cold water as I phased through the mirror. I closed my eyes, scared of the sights I would see if I were to be going through the experience of being transported back to the nightmare realm. I could feel my body floating in mid-air though. It wasn't until my feet collided with hard surface that I had the strength to open my eyelids and see where I was. I was standing right in front of the mansion, the color was completely drained from it. The sky was no longer a shade of gray or even a bright blue. Instead, it was just pitch blackness. There weren't any bushes, gates, roads or trees that surrounded the place either. The only thing left standing was the house. I looked down at my outfit, and instead of the dress I would have worn everytime I came here I was in the polka dotted one I had recently put on. That should be more than enough proof for me that this wasn't a dream.

"Back here again… hopefully for the last time." I told myself as I eyed the double door leading inside the house. I tightened my fists and took a deep breath. "Okay Cosmo, you just have to find out where this creature is and use the ring to banish it from your mind. You can do this… I think…" I was hesitant. Doubt was clouding my mind, for now I knew that this was more than just a dream and that the consequences were going to be devastating. But if this was the only way to ensure I would be safe from this monster and let it get out of me forever, I had to swallow my fear. I forced my feet to walk up the stairs and gripped the doorknob to open the door. When I walked inside, everything was already off. The walls, the floor and even the furniture, were some sort of greenish color. It was as if my glasses were replaced with some sort of color filter. Not only that, there were white particles floating around the air. It only added to the creepy factor this manor was giving off.

"Looks like the creature did some decorating while I was away. Let's see, if I were a demonic entity that got blasted by a magical ring, where would I go?" I asked myself. "I'm not really a religious person, but based around myths of demonic presence… they tend to go to dark and deep areas. There must be a place like that around here somewhere." And so, my search began. I started walking through the halls of the manor, my eyes peeled in case a jumpscare or two was waiting for me. Even if the house was quiet and there seemed like no one was here, there were probably some traps waiting for me. I walked around the place, mostly staying on the first level. I tried opening a bunch of doors, but they were all locked. Figures, that seems to be a stereotype in horror plots. I guess it did eliminate some of my choices, but if there was a chance there could have been some path that would lead me to where I needed to go then I was stuck. Not to mention in the scenario that I would be chased by said creature, that also limited my hiding spaces. The fear I felt was hindering me but I couldn't do much about it. who wouldn't be scared in this situation? Seeing a YouTuber play these kinds of games is one thing, but when you get yourself involved it escalate on a whole other level.

To my luck though, there was one place where I didn't have to enter through a door to get inside the room. I walked into the dining hall and turned to head straight into the kitchen. Once again, the miniature Chief statue was seated on the counter. Still giving me an unsettling feeling, I did my best to ignore it and headed to the other living area next to the kitchen. I turned my head and eyed the small gate that separates the room from the wine cellar. I walked over to the gate and a look of enthusiasm, especially in this place, plastered itself upon my face. "The wine cellar! Of course! I only went down there once, but maybe there is something ominous down there now. The Butler did state that this was a domain of evil. This has to be the place I'm supposed to go." I reached for the gate and attempted to push it forward, but it remained in place. I pushed harder but it still didn't budge. "What the hell?" I looked at the gate and saw for the first time that it was chained up with three locks. "Of course, because that would be too easy…" I sighed. I glanced back at the locks, one of them was a bronze color, the other of a silver hue and the last gleamed like gold. Looks like the only way I would be getting through this gate was to find the keys and unlock the padlocks. I thought back to what the Butler said. If I remembered correctly, the only ones that had access to the wine cellar were him, the Chief and Mark himself. Meaning each one had to have one key! Meaning I had to go hunting for keys.

First, I went to the kitchen, thinking the Chief would have kept his own key. I thought it would be pretty easy, until I looked down at the floor. The kitchen was now covered in tiles of black and white. "Did… the floor here always look like this?" I didn't really pay too close attention to the kitchen, namely because I wasn't even supposed to be here. But I was fairly sure that the floor was hardwood boards and not black and white tiles. Maybe I was imagining things? Or was this part of the demons' way to get me confused? I thought it was just a random design, but I nearly lost my foot as I stepped on the black tile. The tile was pressed down due to the weight. I noticed right away and immediately stepped off it quickly. Good thing I did, because once my foot was away, a sharp object fell right onto the black tile. I backed away, a drop of sweat forming on my side. A large butcher knife fell from the ceiling and nearly chopped my foot in half. I looked up and saw a bunch of sharp knives hanging from the ceiling. Those definitely weren't there before. "Now it feels like a horror game…" I muttered to myself in fear. I had to be extremely careful in this place. One wrong step and I would be butchered. The key to the lock could be anywhere, but if I had to guess, I would probably check one of the drawers. I looked down at the floor again and had to test a safe route. I stepped on another black tile and immediately pulled my leg back. Sure enough, another knife fell to the floor. I then taped on a white tile and pulled back. But when a minute passed and nothing happened, I grew more curious. I put more pressure on the plate this time but it didn't sink. "Okay, white is alright, black will attack… why does that phrase not sound right out of context?" I shook that though off and walked around the kitchen, staying only on the white tiles as those were the safe ones. I carefully maneuvered my way through the kitchen and checked every drawer and cabinet I could, but came up empty handed.

"Great, the key is in none of these. Where did that Chief put it?" I was a bit frustrated as my search was getting me nowhere. I whipped my head around, and found myself staring eye to eye with the statue of the miniature Chief. I wanted nothing more than to get rid of that thing, it felt like it had been watching me since I came in here. With its' hidden cameras inside it, it only made it seem more untrustworthy. My eyes then lit up as I suddenly thought of something. If the statue had cameras inside it, was that the only thing it held? I walked over to the counter the statue was on and grabbed its' cold clay skin. I bashed it's body into the marble countertop and watched as its' pieces scattered across the surface. I carefully picked through the pieces and looked to see what I could find. I removed a few chunks together and smiled as I grabbed hold of a silver key. It was cold as it was gripped in my fingers, and yet a warm sensation overfilled me. I cautiously walked out of the kitchen and headed back to the gate. Using the silver key, I unlocked the silver padlock and watched it drop to the floor then evaporate into dark smoke before it disappeared. "One down, two to go," I said with a smile. "The other two keys should be from the Butler and Mark." Which meant the hunt wasn't over just yet, but at least I was making progress. Progress to my possible doom as well.

I headed out and made my way to the small control room I saw the Butler in when he was checking the gates a while back. That was the only place I could think the key would be since it seemed to be the only place the Butler was. I began to look around the small room, hoping to find something. It was a small space so it seemed it would be easy to find the key. But to my luck, it wasn't easy as it sounded. I did find a small safe on the desk next to a few of the monitors. It was a number code. For a combination I didn't have. "A code… there has to be something here that could give me the combination…" I thought outloud. I checked around the desk, hoping to find something. There was a small piece of paper right next to the safe. Unfortunately, it wasn't the code but it seemed to be a hint to what the code was.

"Morning: Dust off the statues in the hallway. Master seems fond of the warrior woman.

Afternoon: Check the list of supplies to see how many items I need to get for the Chief so he can make dinner. The number of items are everything. List is usually on the table in the dining room.

Evening: Check the monitors and gate to make sure everything is locked up. Make sure the battery for the gates are at sufficient levels." I read the page out loud.

"Well, better than nothing." I shrugged. I walked out of the monitor room and began to explore the manor to find the locations. Hopefully in each they would give me some clue to the combination of the safe. I was fairly sure that would be where one of the two remaining keys would be located. I walked down some of the corridors, being reminded how big this place really was. Eventually I found a hallway with a couple of statues. Some of them were kind of weird and out of place though. While some seemed pleasant such as an angel with her hands in a praying positions, there were some that had a unique yet disturbing image. There was one dusty golden statue that had the body and torso of a woman and the lower half of a scaly fish body. She also had skeletal wings on her back. Most of the statues in the hallway were either a dirty gold or a limestone white. That only made it easier for me to locate the warrior woman. I approached the statue and eyed it for a long moment. This statue was made of pure silver, and though it was dark in the house it gleamed. The woman was tall and a bit muscular. She wore a plated heart shaped armored coat with a knee-length skirt that seemed to have swayed as she placed one leg in front of the other. In her right hand she wielded a sword and in the other a shield with the crescent of the moon with a star in the center. On her head, she wore a headband with that of a moon while her hair was in a high ponytail. The eyes though, the eyes were what caught my attention. They stared at me, intently with that of determination. Like I was her next victim and she would not hesitate to cut me down. But I also noticed that her eyes were not silver, instead they shone a pearly white. Did she have gemstones in her eyes? The note mentioned that the master was fond of this statue out of all the others. But was it really Mark who liked this statue or was it the demon?

I cared not to draw on it too much, thinking it would get me nowhere. And yet a part of me asked, "What makes this statue so special that it separates itself from the others?" I examined the statue to see if there was anything else it could hold that would tell me what I needed for the combination. It was so miniscule that I wouldn't have seen it at first if I didn't take a good look. On the handle of the sword, above her finger was a number written in blue. I squinted my eyes and adjusted my glasses to see that it read '19'. 19? What did that mean? I was confused, but then again I probably didn't have enough information. I memorized 19 in the back of my mind and walked to the dining room. As I entered, I remembered when I first came here my impression of the Chief and his of me. I was still reminiscing in the fact that this seemed too real to be a dream. Turns out I was half right, it wasn't real, but it was more of a nightmare now. The list wasn't hard to find, it was flatted on the table of mahogany. I grabbed it and looked over the contents.

Eggs

Celery

Beets

Mayonnaise

Circular noodles.

The Butler mentioned that the number of the items was important. From the list, there were five items so that meant… five was another number. 19 and 5… it was coming along but there was still something missing.

Placing the list back onto the table, I headed back to the monitor room and tried to remember what there was left. He mentioned checking the monitors and the battery to ensure the gates would be locked all night. Come to think of it, this seemed like an old victorian house and yet the gates were automatic and electronic? Oh right, this was a dream realm where nothing makes sense. So the last part of the puzzle had something to do with the battery of the gates. I checked over all the screens to see which monitor held the battery percentage. It had to have been the one of the far left side. There, the battery level read at 86%.

"19...5...86…" I repeated the numbers I gathered. I turned my attention to the safe and put the numbers in that particular order. I waited and upon hearing a click, my hopes raised up. I opened the safe and neatly tucked on the cold floors was a bronze key. I took it from its prison and headed back to the wine cellar gate. I used the key to unlock the bronze padlock, watching it have the same pattern as the silver lock. I smiled and raised a fist in the air upon my victory.

"Yes! Almost done. I just have to find one more key. The last one must be in Marks' room." I thought to myself and headed upstairs to where the double doors were. I reached for the handles, the coldness of their metallic states sent shivers up my spine. I had a bad feeling about this room even before I opened it. I closed my eyes and flew the doors open, then prop my eyes to see what horrors await me. I was relieved yet confused at what I saw when I walked in. All around the room were small wooden boxes. Some of them were on the floor, some were on the shelves and tables and there were even a few on the bed.

"Boxes?" I questioned as I looked around the room. "I mean, I would have understood mannequins or creepy dolls, but boxes? That's not scary at-" I tensed up when the small wooden crates turned around to look at me. They had slanted red eyes that gleamed at me with malice. Sharp, jagged teeth ready to eat me and little noodle arms with claws attached to them. My teeth were chattering and my eyes shrunk to the size of a pea as those boxes stared at me. I was frozen in place for what seemed like an eternity. "Okay… fair enough… that was pretty creepy…" I shuddered. "Just… find the key and get out of here." I slowly made my way through room, feeling all the eyes gaze upon me even when I had my back turned to them. I soon reached the end of the room where the small round table that held the picture of Mark and his friends were. There, resting on the wooden surface, was a golden key. I reached out and grabbed it, sighing in relief. "Weird… that was almost too easy." I thought outloud. I turned around and quickly made my way back to the door. I didn't want to be in here with these boxes any longer than I had to be. I reached for the handles and attempted to pull them open, but they remained in place. "...what?" I questioned. I pulled on them harder, but they did not budge. "No… oh no, no, no, no, no!" I gasped as I had a feeling I knew where this was going. I stepped back from the door and looked at it, expecting it to open through just a gaze. But it didn't work. I tensed up again as I began to hear music coming from the room. It sounded like a musical boxed version of 'Mary had a Little Lamb'. It started out nice and face-paced but soon faded into a slow and erie shift. I slowly turned my head to look at the wall and saw, printed in blood red letters, "Want to play a game? Which one of us has the key?"

I swallowed as the music stopped playing, and the letters started oozing out blood, slowly but at gallons amounts. I let out a scream of panic and watched as the crimson liquid started to cover the entire floor. I raised one of my foot up and watched the blood it collected on itself drip into the small sea forming around me. I looked around, the boxes still staring at me with their demonic faces. The wall said which one of us has the key. That meant that one of these boxes held the key to getting out of here. I hastily began my search as I would grab boxes and began to smash them until all that remained were toothpicks. I smashed one after another, searching desperately for the key to unlocking the doors. The rising blood only filled me with adrenaline and fear to quicken my pace. I ended up smashing a few of them into the crimson lake and searched through the thick liquid to get what I was looking for. After smashing about ten boxes, I got what I needed. I smashed a box that rested on the bed to the ground, and searched through the broken pieces of wood. Until my hand collided with a cool metal object. I picked it up, seeing a black key and smiled. I didn't dawn too much on it though. I trudged my way through the bloody waters that had reached my hips and used the black key to unlock the door. Upon hearing the clicking, I pulled the door open and fell right through the opening with some blood flowing with me.

My whole body fell to the floor, dress mostly covered in the sticky substance. I watched the door behind me close due to the pressure the blood was putting on the other side. Managing to stand up, I took a deep breath and glanced back at the room. There was no way I was going back in there again. I looked in my palms and saw the golden key clasped there. At least I got what I needed. Even after those traumatic puzzles, I knew that there was more instore for me. Wasting no time, I headed down the stairs and went to the wine cellar. Using the key to unlock the golden padlock, it fell to the ground, became that of shadows and disappeared. I slowly opened the gate and looked down in the darkness. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath in and breathed out. "Once I go down there, I'm bound to run into that demon. What I just went through probably won't even compare to what I'll face down there. But if I don't go I'll only be haunted by this creature forever." I gripped the handrail so tightly, my knuckles immediately turned white. "Welp… no turning back now." I told myself and began to make my descent.

The stairwell seemed a lot longer and darker than I remembered. Probably due to the revealing of the true nature behind this manor. But that meant I was going in the right direction, right? As I walked down the stairs, I huddled close to the wall. While I was able to see where I was going, it was more for feeling comfort than for guidance. I shivered, wondering what would await me once I reached the bottom. Still, the anticipation only made me want to keep going. My hand traced the stone wall the further down I went. My eyes darted to the stony structure, as if to make sure it was still there to help me along the journey. I stopped for a moment as I saw a phrase plastered on the wall. "You shouldn't remember." It was spelt in all capitals and dripping with redness. I quickly avoided the wording and quickened my pace. The further down I went, the more words were on the wall. "I didn't kill anybody", "It was all a joke", and again with the "You shouldn't remember", became more and more frequent the further down I went.

I was relieved when I saw a light source at the end of the stairs, thinking I would be done with the descent soon. I jumped the last step and looked around the wine cellar. To my surprise, out of all of the rooms in the manor this one hadn't changed. The lighting was normal, the atmosphere was pretty pleasant and the smell of wine filled my nostrils. I looked around, baffled by the area. "This must be where I'm supposed to be…" I quietly noted to myself. "But I don't see anyone or anything in here. Maybe I need to find something else?"

My thoughts were interrupted though upon hearing a groaning noise. I tensed as the sound traveled through the small room I was in. There was definitely something here with me. Could it be the demon that was haunting my dreams? I whipped my head and noticed a small table by my side with a few bottles of expensive wine. Grabbing one of the bottles, I gripped the thin part of the glass and slowly made my way through the room. Heading to the small bar table that held the wine shelf, where the noise seemed to have been coming from. I raised the bottle high over my head, ready to smash it against whatever was hiding behind it. I was only one more step away from leaning over the counter to see what was behind it. When all of a sudden, a figure jumped up from the counter, laughing maniacally. I jumped, nearly dropping the bottle out of my hands. However, the figure stared at me with wide brown eyes and giddy laughter.

"Ah~!" He smiled as he spoke with an eccentric accent. "Finally, now it's a party!"

I blinked, very confused and slightly uncomfortable as I looked at the figure behind the counter. He was wearing a cream-yellow shirt with pink suspenders. And his mustache was thick, furry and pink? "Uh…" I was lost with words.

"Don't be shy," he slurred his words as he placed an empty bottle on the counter. "It's no fun having a party of one." A hiccup followed after that sentence.

I raised a brow at him, who the heck was this man? I don't remember seeing him throughout the house while the party and murder mystery was going on. Yet somehow, for some reason, he looked and sounded familiar. "W-who are you, exactly?" I tilted my head.

The man seemed just as confused as me as he placed a hand on his chest, his mouth in a gasping O. "Why, I'm insulted! How could you not recognize me! I am the great Wilford Warfstache! Exclusive journalist and proud host of my own talk show!"

It took a minute, but the gears in my brain began to turn and I was reminded of the files I read on Googleplier. There was a file that told me about Wilford Warfstache, one of Marks' oldest personas and the most well known. Guess it had been so long since he had used Warfstache I nearly forgotten what he looked like. What was strange about the situation was that if Warfstache was another of the egos, why wasn't he at the party and the murders that took place? I was fairly sure I didn't see him around. Or… maybe I had seen him walking around the mansion but didn't really notice? Considering what was going on, I didn't have time to overlook every single detail. But then again, I was sure I would have bumped into him eventually, especially when everyone was gathered around whenever someone got killed. So why did he show up now? I shook my head and shrugged. "S-sorry… I guess it's been a long time since I've seen some of your… work?" I wasn't sure how to respond, but I had to play along while staying on my guard. For all I knew, he could have very well been the demon I was trying to kick out of my own mind.

Warfstache jumped up on the countertop and approached me. I took a step back and he stopped. "No need to be so scared, I just wanted to see what kind of wine you got there." He pointed to the bottle in my hand. I looked at it and read the type of brand it was.

"Uh… Palm Wine…" I stated. "You want it?"

He nodded vigorsuly like a little kid getting candy. "Oh, yes please! That is my favorite kind!" I looked back at the bottle I held. While it could have been used a weapon, there were still plenty of bottles around here I could have used to defend myself with. I looked back at Warfstache as his hands were clasped together, pleading for me to give him what he wanted. I stretched out my hand towards him, and he greedily took the bottle from me. "Most generous of you, young lady!" He then began to unwrap the plastic covering the top of the cork.

I bravely took a step forward and began to question him. I highly doubted he would have answered honestly, but I needed to know what was going on and he seemed to be my only source of information. "How did you get down here? The gate to the wine cellar was locked upstairs."

Warfstache didn't turn to me but he answered. "I've been down here since you left."

Again, I was confused by that answer. "Wait… you saw me leave? Have you been here this whole time?!"

"Of course not, I just recently came down to the cellar to drink myself away."

I corrected him. "No, no. I mean have you been in this mansion this whole time? Because I'm fairly sure we haven't met before."

He turned to me, both of us were just as confused as the other. He tilted his head as he stared at me. "What… is your name?"

I was hesitant, but answered eventually. "C-Cosmo…"

"Strange…" He started to walk around me, like a vulture circling a corpse before beginning to dig in. "You do seem familiar but…" he trailed off and stood back at the counter. We just stared at each other, not to sure what to think of the one we were staring at. He then began to mutter something under his breath. I couldn't hear him, so I didn't know what he was saying. And I was kind of scared to know. He looked back up at me, a strange glint in his eyes. "Anyways," his voice regained that loud volume. "How about we get those drinks, huh?"

"W-what?!"

"Don't worry, I don't mind sharing my wine with you. Once I get it open, that is." He tried again to unscrew the cork that was plugging up the bottle. He struggled, though he tried with all his might. He then began to use his teeth to try and get the cork out.

"You know, it would be easier if we had a corkscrew." I pointed out. Warfstache looked over at me and raised his brows as a smile crossed his face.

"What a lovely idea!" He praised. "I carry one around myself, you never know." He patted himself down around his pants and looked a bit disappointed. "Oh darn, I seem to have misplaced them. They must have been in my other shirt pocket."

"Do you know where it is? Maybe I could go look for it." I suggested.

"Yes! Yes! Very good…" Warfstache fell silent for a moment, tapping his fingertips on his pink mustache. "Brawh! Now I remember! My other shirt is resting on my bed in my room."

"Your room?"

Warfstache nodded and pointed upstairs. "It's just a few doors down from Marks' room. You can't miss it, it has a pink muchstase on the front."

That wasn't even the craziest thing he said to me when we met. I only nodded and began to make my way up the stairs, leaving that mad man down with the bottle of wine. I hoped he didn't go anywhere while I went to go get the corkscrew. There were so many questions running through my mind just by the meeting alone, but a lot of them were pretty trivial. I walked through the stairwell of darkness and emerged back into the living area connecting the kitchen. I was only going up to the room to get the corkscrew he had and to come back down. I couldn't afford to be sidetracked for too long. I still had to find that demon and exercise him out of my mind. So long as I had the ring and the courage to fight him head on if need be, it was a mission I felt I could accomplish. Running up the spiral stairs to the second floor, I began to look at the doors through the hallways to see which door belonged to Warfstache. As I approached each one, I noticed now that every door had some sort of symbol on them, even the room that belonged to Mark had a white M on the double doors. I looked at each door carefully to see which one lead to Warfstaches' room. One of them had a symbol of a book, then there was one that had a microphone, another that had a stethoscope, one even had a cowboy hat and another door with a computer monitor and keyboard. It seemed that each room meant something significant, and I began to wonder if each room was to house one of Marks' alter egos. That would explain the signs on the door.

Eventually, I found the door with the pink mustache on the frame. It was right next to another door with a symbol I couldn't quite understand. It had a black D on the front and there seemed to have been a red and blue outline of the letter. I wasn't too sure about that room but I knew that I should have stayed far away from it. I walked right into the small area that Warfstache occupied and looked around to see if I could find the tool for the wine. I immediately look at his bed, which was covered in pink and white sheets. What was it with this guy and pink, I'd never know. But upon the sheets laid one of his shirts. I walked over to it and began to search the pockets for what I needed. Upon the breast pocket, I took out a sharp object that was definitely not a corkscrew. It was a large knife that has one side with jagged teeth. The handle was gold with a few ruby gems for the design. It seemed like an old dagger of that of victorian times. Yet another unimportant detail that I wasn't going to bother questioning about. "Well, it isn't exactly what I had in mind. But hopefully it will do." I told myself. I turned around on my heels but before I could move, I turned to see that the shirt had fallen off the bed. I looked at it and debated if I should have left it there and leave or pick it up. It wasn't like it had anything else useful. Still, I didn't want to just leave it there, curse my OCD.

I bent down and grabbed the cloth in my hand, placing it back up on the bed where it once rested. Before I could stand, I noticed as I looked back down at the ground, out of the corner of my eye there was something sticking out from under the bed. I wasn't sure what it was, and though I should have respected the privacy of this man, even if he was just a figment of imagination for the fanbase and Mark, curiosity got the better of me. My hand reached and took out the object from its' hiding space. I held it up to my hands and looked at it, a picture of the Colonel, but the glass was broken. I was instantly reminded of that man killing the Detective, even though once again, the Detective was probably another imaginary being. Now that I thought about it, where was the Colonel? Did he leave like I did or did he become the next victim? Why would anyone want to stay here after killing someone though? Then again, the Colonel only killed one man while Warfstache killed… Warfstache… My eyes fell upon the mustache of the Colonel, and I realized how similar it was to Warfstaches', minus the color. Come to think of it, both the Colonel and Warfstache have the same accent and they seem to be particularly concerned with weapons. I thought back to the files I read about Warfstache on Google, how he has such a similar past with that of the Colonel.

"Holy crap… how could I not have realized it sooner?!" I gasped as I held both the dagger and the picture, shifting my gaze from one object to the other. "Warfstache and the Colonel… they're both the same person!" Immediately, I stood up and walked out of the room with both objects. I headed down the spiral stairs, made my way through the manor, and descended back down to the wine cellar. Warfstache was still trying to get the cork out of the bottle with his teeth. Once he saw me standing at the last step though, he stopped.

"Ah, you're back. Did you find it?" I walked up to him and handed him the knife. He reached out and grabbed it in one of his hands and smiled. "Very good, young lady! I usually prefer a gun as my choice of weapon but a good ole stabbing does the trick to a lot of situations now and then." As he talked, he placed the bottle on the counter and raised the knife high up. Plunging it onto the cork and using all his strength to separate the small blockage from the bottle. This time, he was successful in removing it. "Bully! You haven't failed me yet." He smiled while gleaming at his knife.

I watched him from afar, holding the picture in my hand to the side. Did he… not know anymore? I had to know what he knew. Maybe he was the key I needed to getting to the demon. "W-Will…"

"You know, this knife and me have been through a lot. I don't use it as often as my guns, but that doesn't make it any less important. These little daggers can get you out of jams."

"Will…" I called out again but he kept rambling on about nonsense.

"Although, sometimes you actually need a gun. Especially when stabbing someone isn't a option. With a gun, you can aim it at a distance and kill far away. Although you have to rely on aim where with a knife it's all about force. Yet you need to be close to your target to get a good stab. Unless of course you use a throwing knife, but then you need both aim and force if you want to hit a-"

"William!" I shouted so loudly it echoed off the walls of the cellar. The room became silent, and for a moment, Warfstache stood there. He slowly turned to face me, a shocked expression on his face.

"W-what did you just say?" his voice was shaking as he looked at me. Was he scared or just confused. I began to regret what I said and wondered if I should drop the topic. But I had to know, I had to make him remember who he was. He might have been my only chance of getting to the demon. I approached him and held out the smashed up picture of the Colonel. I held it up so he could see the picture, using my finger to point to the man.

"Your name was William… you were the Colonel. Remember?!"

Warfstache was gasping for breath, he slowly staggered his way towards me and reached out. Grabbing the picture, he gazed upon it as his eyes wavered and were starting to become teary. "W-where did you get this?" He was stuttering as he couldn't take his gaze off of the image.

He turned his back towards me, hunched over as if to block me off. But I wouldn't let that stop me. I called out to him, to talk to him. "William… Mark did this to you, didn't he? He caused you to lose your sanity and now you went from William to Warfstache! That's why you hate Mark, isn't it?"

Warfstache scoffed, and looked over at me with gleaming eyes. "I-It was all a joke…" he muttered. "I-I didn't kill anybody."

"Well, technically no. But Will-"

"It's all a joke!" He started to laugh as he used one of his hands to grip his hair. "Death has no consequence! It doesn't matter if we live or die… it doesn't!" tears began to shed from his eyes and roll down his cheeks. His smile cracked up with madness as his laughter followed.

I was scared, but stood my ground. I had to get him to see. "No, you're wrong Will! Death does have consequences! I know you didn't mean to kill anyone, but that doesn't make it better!"

"H-how would you know?! Y-you have no idea what I've been through… w-what Mark took!" His laughter was starting to get mixed with anger and maybe a hint of sadness. "W-was it so wrong for me… just to get more screen time on his channel? Is it so wrong for me to have a backstory! I DIDN'T choose what happened to me, it was all him! HE MADE ME THIS WAY! Blame MARK! H-he wanted me to be this way… but I wanted to be so much more…"

I was now baffled by what he was saying. Did Warfstache/William know all along he was an alter ego from Marks' channel? If that was true, it just made the situation more depressing. I knew about Warfstache through some of his videos and from the information I got from Google. Was it possible that the project that Mark was going to do with Mick and this house had to do with the Colonel's backstory on how he became who he was today? Warfstache was shaking like a leaf as he was gripping the picture so tightly, the frame broke and the little pieces of glass that were left shattered into his hand. I watched as he was breaking with his remembrance. I did this to him, I made him remember who he truly was and put him in this state. Perhaps that was what the walls meant as I came down here. I scurried over to him and embraced him in a rush-hug, holding his arms to his side. I knocked some wind out of him from the impact and held on tightly as if my life depended on it. His laughter ceased and he fell silent for a long moment. It was my turn to tell him.

"Warfstache… death does have consequences. I know… because when my parents died right in front of me I ran away. I thought that if I ran and pretend it didn't happen… they would come back. They would wake me up the next morning, assuring me it was all a nightmare." My hands snaked up to wrap themselves around his neck and my head rested between the collarbone of his shoulder and chest. "But they didn't… they were gone and I was alone. That's what's going on with you, isn't it? You want to believe it all to be a joke because you want to hope they will come back. But it doesn't work that way, no matter how much we wish it."

I felt wetness splash onto the strap of my dress. He was crying, his body was shaking again but not so violently. He fell to the floor on his knees and I followed. Warfstache let out a howl of cries, and all I could do was comfort him in what I knew best. I broke away from his chest and looked him in the eyes, those brown doe eyes that were covered with waterfalls of depression. "I-I didn't… I didn't kill…"

"I know… You didn't mean to. You didn't mean to kill Mick or anyone else. You were just hurting… you're not bad William… just misunderstood." It was kind of strange as we sat there in that wine cellar for what felt like hours. It was like I was comforting a child after they did something bad that they regretted. But Warfstache was older than me, but he seemed more messed up than I was so it seemed to have even out. I wasn't very good when it came to comforting, but I did my best and it seemed to have worked. If I make it out of this alive, I would make sure to watch all of the videos Warfstache appeared in. As well as the other egos and see what Mark is up to. Even though he was just an imaginary entertainer for the fanbase, he was still a persona in a sense. My arms let go of William and they moved to take a look at the hand where he was holding the picture. I removed the smashed up frame, setting it on the floor and looked at his hand. It was all bloody with just a few fragments of glass. I began picking them out from the skin. William flinched and hissed in pain, but he didn't take his hand away from my work. Luckily there were only about five or six shards and they weren't really deep. It didn't take me long to take them all out, but his hand was still covered in blood and had a few opened wounds. I reached up to the countertop where the dagger was lying there. I used it to cut off a piece of my dress, making the skirt about one or two inches shorter. I then used the piece I cut off to tie it around his bleeding hand, just tight enough so it would put pressure on the wounds but not too much that it would hinder the usage.

"You should be fine, I'm no Doctor but I think as long as you don't put too much pressure on it you should be fine." I assured him as I checked over my handiwork to make sure it was doable. He would probably need some stitches, but I had limited resources. He should be fine for now though, I hoped. We sat down on the floor, both of our bodies leaning against the lower half of the counter. I had my eyes focused on the staircase, mostly covered in a blanket of darkness leading up. It was ironic, how I was scared of the darkness and yet when I was determined enough I could go through it head on. I must have been really brave if I was willing to face my fears. Or maybe I was just idiotic because I still had no idea what was going on. I didn't look over at William and he didn't look over at me. For a while, it was quiet in that small cellar. But soon enough, we had a small conversation.

"They aren't coming back, are they?" William questioned as his bandaged hand rested in his lap.

"The other egos and Mark?" I questioned, making sure that was what he meant.

"Yeah…"

I sighed. "I don't know. I have no idea what is going on or what any of this means. But I do know that I came here to end this nightmare I'm trapped here in." I looked down at my hand, where the ring was still attached to my finger. Looking at the ring, the very thing that caused me to come here but my one ticket out of here. I clenched my hand into a fist and breathed deeply. "I'm going to have to face this thing head on. If I can expel it from my mind, then I'll be free." I turned over to William, giving him a small smile. "And I'm sure that if I do that, you and the others will be freed as well." though I wasn't completely sure if that would be how it would work, I believed that anything that would happen to him and the others would be a better fate than the ones they were forced to endure here.

William looked over at me, his eyes lost their luster yet I could see that he was concerned. "But then you won't be able to see us again."

"A price I have to pay." I shrugged. "Besides, you all are better off without me. I was the reason this all happened to you." I stood up on my feet but my eyes were glued to the ground. "I know that my chances of ever meeting Markiplier in real life are slim to none. I don't think I could ever go to a Pax convention or even to a YouTuber convention. I mean, I live in Minnesota, and nothing exciting ever happens here. I'm just another plain, boring girl that has a lot of issues in her life. Such as herself as she tries to find her place in the world on her own accord." My hands were tightly bound together, clasping one another so tightly. As I spoke, my face held great grief. What I was saying was blunt honesty to myself. Perhaps it seemed I was beating myself up, but it was what needed to be said. However, a small smile plastered itself on my lips. I turned over to William with said smile and continued. "However, if there was ever one thing I could count on, it was YouTube and Markiplier. I'll never forget the first time I watched one of his videos. Whenever he plays horror games, even though he doesn't know what he was getting into. No matter how many times he was scared, no matter how many times he wanted to quit he always kept going. He somehow found himself laughing, even when his character in the game was facing a life or death situation. He was able to solve the puzzles even when he was confused. And… he always knew how to cheer me up when I was feeling down.

"He is real, and so is his fan base. They love and respect him and he gives that love back. That's what makes him so special in my eyes. And if I had never met him, I don't think I would be the person I am today. I want to try and find the positive in every situation, no matter how slim. I want to laugh about the things I've done in my past, that seemed embarrassing to me but as I look back it makes me realize how much I've grown. That's what makes us human, that's what makes Mark… Markiplier. He's done so much for me, for his fanbase, his friends, his team and his family. Even when he was feeling down himself, he could count on us. Mark means a lot not just to me, but to everyone. I don't know what will happen when I defeat this demon, but if it means saving Mark, his egos, and even you, then I'll do it. I won't be scared anymore! I want to face this just like Mark would if he were in my shoes."

William Warfstache stared at me, watched me as I gave my speech. The light in his eyes returning back into the orbs and his smile came back as well. He stood up, walked over to me and nodded. "I may not be Mark himself, but if I was, I would say you have earned the right to be called his fan." He patted me on the shoulder. It was kind of weird being praised by Warfstache/William. But it also made me feel more confident in what I was going to do. Well, what we were going to do. "If you plan on fighting this monster that is plaguing your dreams, then I will be coming with you."

"Will, you don't have to." I tried to protest, but he placed a hand in front of me.

"No, I must. I too have made mistakes before, and though they were fictional, to you they seemed real. I am aware of who… what I am. But this fiend took away those I have come to call my friends. I want revenge just as much as you want to get rid of that creature. Besides, you will need a guide to help you get through the maze."

My eyebrow arc as I stared at him. "Maze?"

He slipped away from me and headed to the counter. He jumped over it and I watched as he removed a rug from behind the divider. There was a small golden handle attached to the floor that he reached for and pulled up. To my amazement, the handle lifted to reveal a hidden passageway of stairs. "Woah…" I gasped.

"Yes, this recently appeared when I came down here. I assumed that this is the residence the demon has inhabited after you left last night." William explained.

"Which means, that if we want to attack the creature at its source…"

"We must go further down into the very madness, my dear." William finished my sentence.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

I stared down at the cellar behind the counter that Warfstache had revealed. I should have known that there would have been some sort of hidden passageway when it comes to these old time mansions. And here I thought this adventure couldn't get any more cliched. Well, I knew one thing at that point. The demon that was plaguing my dreams had to have been down there somewhere. Warfstache and I were going to have to do everything in our power to drive it out before it tormented me to the point of insanity.

"So, Miss Cosmo, what's the plan?" Warfstache looked over at me. I checked back at him and then stared right back into the darkness.

"We're going to go down there, find the demon and drive him out with force!"

"I admire your tactics young lady. You can count on the great Wilford Warfstache to help you if trouble seeks you out."

Even though I was skeptical about having a mad man helping me with this mission, I would rather have him on my side than have him aid the enemy. I just hoped he would prove to be a worthy company throughout this final adventure. "Well," I breathed out my unsureness. "There's no turning back now. Are you ready, Warfstache?"

"I should be asking you that question. Are you even armed?"

"Does it matter?" I asked honestly. "I highly doubt anything we have would even affect said demon."

Warfstache stared at me and I was a bit confused and uncomfortable under his gaze. He tapped his chin for a moment as he narrowed his eyes. Then a wide smile spread across his face. "Hang on," he reached into his belt where he had two holsters. I wasn't sure how I didn't see them before, but he pulled out from one of them a gray hand-held gun. Stretching out the weapon to me, his eyes were shining. "I took this from the Detective. I figured he wouldn't be using it anymore since, you know…" He didn't need to say anymore. I knew what he meant. "Anyways, better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."

"You're giving me a gun?!"

"What's wrong? You do know how to use one right?"

"I mean… I know the basics. But I can't just take one!"

"Why not? I mean, I would give you a knife, but like I stated before those are unreliable in distant combat."

I raised my hands in defense. "I can't take a gun. I'm a democrat." Warfstache raised a brow as he still held the gun. "You know, pro gun-control?" he didn't say anything, just stare at me like I was the crazy one. "Besides, I could never kill anyone with a gun. I don't know if I have the strength to kill anyone." As I said that, I began to doubt if I would even be able to go through with this plan. I was only supposed to repel this demon but what if it wouldn't be enough? Would I actually have to fight it to the death? That seemed to be asking too much of myself, but there would be no avoiding it if the circumstances lead to that.

Warfstache nodded at me, he seemed to understand but he was still holding onto the hand gun. "Even so, you will need to have something with you to protect yourself. The demon may be nesting down there, but if it has lackies then you will need something to exterminate them. We may be humans, but we are still part of the animal kingdom in which case, we either kill or be killed."

As much as I didn't want to admit it, Warfstache was right. If I died here and now, I could very well die out there in the real world. My life was literally on the line, and I had to suck it up if I was going to make it. Looking back at the gun offered to me, I reached out and took it from Will. I looked it over as it was held in my hand. I've seen more than enough news reports about gun violence and the number of victims who had lost their lives to these weapons in just one month alone. Never in all my life would I ever thought about holding one, let alone using one. Sure, I shot an airsoft gun at my brother once for a bet when I was in seventh grade, but it wasn't going to shed any blood, just bruise him. Just looking at it made me want to throw it away, knots began to tie themselves in my stomach. But I had to swallow it down. This was a dream, it wasn't real. Even if you kill it wouldn't matter. This is just a figment of nightmares. I told myself that to make me feel better. It helped, but not too much.

"Are you ready?" it was Warfstache who asked that question this time. We looked at each other for a long moment. Wondering if we had the face to be ready, and if we did was it just a mask. I closed my eyes and breathed out. Nodding slightly, I began to walk down into the dark stairwell. Warfstache followed close behind and he shut the trap door above us. There was no going back now.

?

Darkness surrounded us as we climbed down the steps leading to this new area of the mansion. Once we were on the level, we walked through a metal door that was opened already. I wasn't sure what to make of it, because while it helped us enter access to this place it also meant that someone else must have come down here already. And I had a pretty good idea of who or rather, what it was. I stayed close to Warfstache as he stayed close to me. We both knew that splitting up would be more dangerous than sticking together. As we entered through the door, we walked out into a dim hallway with brick walls to the side. Pipes and small fluorescent lights hung up close to the ceiling along the walls, spaced out every few feet apart. It was still dark down here, but I could at least see as far as my hand could reach out. The lights helped, but there was still something about this area that made me shiver in fear. Now that I thought about it…

"Strange… this place looks familiar." I muttered out loud as I was gazing upon the area around us.

"Ah yes, this game. I remember when Mark had played this." Warfstache noted as he strolled along the path so casually.

"Wait, this is from a game?" I thought back, thinking what game this area could have been from. It took me awhile, but I remembered. "It's Vanish, isn't it?!"

"Correct, young lady!" Warfstache chimed with his child-like smile. "The game that made Markiplier rage so much, he ended up quitting YouTube for a while."

"I thought Mark beat Vanish?"

"Well, that's what he likes to tell himself to help him sleep at night." Warfstache chuckled.

"I can see that, I mean I haven't exactly finished his Vanish playlist so I can't be sure if he really beat it or not." I admitted sheepishly. "But if that is the case, we'll have to be extra vigilant and quiet. I at least know what horrors awaits for us in these halls if it isn't the demon."

"Stay sharp, young one." Warfstache told me.

I nodded. "Okay, if this is like Vanish, then maybe we should head to the generator room. That's where the keys to the gate is and where the glowsticks should be."

"You know your gaming knowledge." Warfstache complimented me. And with a goal set, we embarked further down the halls of this game world. Though not really much of a world as it was a sewer. Even though I knew what to expect as I walked down here, it only made me want to stay closer to Warfstache. I hated the thought of running around a maze area with the idea of being chased by the said monster. It was like Slender all over again. But unlike Slender, you could at least take cover in maybe a car or house out in the woods. Here it was a closed space with so many passages away that you could easily get lost in. And there wasn't just one, but many of the monsters that were waiting to just kill off the player. And those players were me and Warfstache. At least I had a few advantages this time though. I wasn't fighting alone, I had Warfstache with me. And I also had a weapon in my hands as well. Though I wasn't so sure if bullets would even affect these mole men. Still, it was better to have something to defend myself.

We walked through many of the halls for what seemed like hours. Getting stuck at a bunch of dead ends, having to debat which path we had to choose and whether we should follow the white writing or the yellow. At least up to that point we hadn't had a run in with the monsters or the demon. But I knew it would only be a matter of time before we had to face them.

"How are we supposed to find the generator room when this place is built like a maze?" Warfstache questioned as he began to become furious.

"I think that was the whole point of the set up." I told him, not really getting as angry about the lack of progress. "Maybe there's a secret passageway we have to take to get there faster? I think I remember those being there."

"I haven't seen any so far."

"Then we keep going until we find one." Once again, we set off. I thought that if we followed the pipes, they would lead us to either the generator room or maybe to a shortcut. But we had to check if the pipes might have been broken, because if they were then the mole men were nearby. With our luck, we were able to find a damaged portion of pipe along the wall. Next to it was a tunnel in the wall. I bent down and looked inside, seeing nothing it seemed safe. "Here's a shortcut, let's hope it leads us to where we need to go." I crouched down and walked into the tunnel, Warfstache following behind me. It was kind of hard to crawl through the small space with a dress on, but I had the determination to make it to the other side. I emerged out of the small hole and stood up. I looked out far from me and smiled as I heard the roaring of engines nearby. Upon looking out, I was sure I saw the room we needed to go into, the engine room! It was so close I could practically smell the fumes and oil that radiated from the roaring machines. I took only a few steps in front of me before freezing completely. It wasn't until I was just a few more feet closer did I notice humanoid creatures slouched near the very entrance. I held my breath and slowly backed up until I was back in the hole of the passage way. My butt bumped into Warfstache but I didn't care or rather, notice too much.

"Why did you back up? I was nearly out." Warfstache scoffed. I turned my head to him and raised my finger to my lip, motioning a shush sound. I pointed to the engine room and he too noticed the mole creatures.

"Now that's what I call a horde of monsters." He muttered.

"There's too many of them for just the two of us. Even with our guns, we might get into trouble."

"Nonsense, we could take them on!" Warfstache proclaimed as he raised his pistol and readied it in his hand. However, I grabbed onto his wrist that was holding the weapon and looked into his eyes.

"Even if we were able to defeat those creatures, we might find more in the engine room or maybe something worse. And at that point we could run out of bullets." Warfstache eyes grew soft and he lowered his gun. I sighed as I tried to reason with him. "Look, we don't know what we will be dealing with when we face these monsters. They could act differently than when they were in the game. Besides, our main objective is to expel the demon from my mind, and none of them are what I'm looking for. We need to play this smart, save our weapons for the real boss and quietly maneuver our way through the maze so we can give that beast a sneak attack!"

"You have a true gamer mind if you have already come up with that strategy." Warfstache commented with a smile.

"I don't often play games, but I do some two-player with my friends. I've had enough experience to know that in these types of situations, stealth is the best way to go." I turned back to looked at the mole creatures, twitching their heads in different directions each second, as if searching for something. Probably us, if I really had to make an educated guess. I knew that they were mostly blind and only relied on hearing to find their prey. Even if we were very quiet, one of them would most likely hear us. "I don't think we can get passed them even if we were really quiet. Maybe we can find some other way in."

"Or, I could lead them aside for you to go in and get the keys." Warfstache offered.

I turned to face him, annoyance on my face. "Oh no, you are not leaving me behind! Haven't you seen any horror genres? Splitting up is always a bad idea! If we had a bigger group I wouldn't mind, but it's just you and me!"

"You'll be fine, I believe in you. Besides, I have more experience with a gun than you do so if I do get into trouble I'll just shoot my way out. If the engine room is here, then the gate can't be too far away. Only you can defeat this creature that plagues your dreams."

As much as I hated to be left alone in this unknown territory, Warfstache did have a point. I alone knew how to at least summon the ring's powers to drive out this nightmare monster. And with his knowledge of this mindscape and his skills with guns, Warfstache would stand a better chance at dealing with those mole men than me. I gave him a curt nod, assuring that it was alright. Warfstache passed me by, an uncomfortable squeeze and stood up from the hole. Before he went too far, I grabbed onto his arm and tugged him close to me. Looking him in the eyes. "Be careful, I know you may be an alter ego, but to me you are a real person. I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

Warfstache smiled as he took my hand that was held onto his sleeve and placed it in his free one. "Don't thank me just yet, there's still much to do."

"I know, and I won't fail you or the others." I promised him and to myself as well. Warfstache smile widened as we stared at each other for a long moment. He drew himself closer to me, leaning into my face as his lips started to get bigger. I backed away and glared at him. "What were you doing?"

He paused in his kissing motion and looked at me dumbfounded. "I-I thought that we were going to…" He pointed back and forth from me to him.

"Uh… no…" I shook my head and raised my hands up defensively.

He had a bit of disappointment on his face. But it was quickly replaced with a shrug. "Eh, can't win them all I guess." He turned on his heels and shouted at the top of his lungs. "OH MR. MOLE MEN!" He then sprinted off as the creatures were chasing after him. I watched as the chase went passed me. Stepping out of the hole, I sighed.

"I'll never understand how Mark or his fan base ever came up with such a character." I shrugged. My attention was then drawn back to the engine room that was right in front of me. My feet carried me straight into the mechanical room, and though I was scared of what might be hiding behind the machines I had to go there and get what I needed. There was a bunch of big engines and larger pipes in this space, a few crates littered the corners. I began my search, trying to find the keys to the gates. I checked all the boxes I could find, luckily there was only about six boxes so it didn't take me too long. It was the fourth box I looked into that the item I needed was there. I reached in and grabbed something, though they weren't the keys but rather a large bag of miniature men. All of them had circular glasses, short brown hair and was wearing a Harry Potter outfit with a robe and scarf. All of them even held a small wand in their left hand. "What the heck are these?" I asked myself as I looked at the bag in different angels to try and find out the origins. There was some wording on the plastic bag and I read it.

" **Wade Potter, now comes with the catchphrase "Peehype". Just add water to grow your very own living Wizard Wade. Warning: Do not give to children 6 and under for choking hazard reasons. Does not use actual magic."**

"Not sure why these would be here, but they might come in handy. Better hold onto these." I reached into the box again, this time taking out a large bottle of water. Welp, at least I had a water source to help me fully grow these Wade Potter should I ever need them. Even though they were supposed to be wizards, they didn't have any magic. So I could forget adding a mage to my party to either help me in combat or heal me. Although I had hoped that it wouldn't ever come down to that though. Finally, after scavenging the contents of the box I was able to find a chain of keys. "Yes!" I exclaimed as I dug and grabbed the chain containing the eight keys. At least now I would be able to open the gate down here. All that was left was for me to find it. Hopefully I would be able to meet up with Warfstache again along the way. "Now I just need to figure out where the gate is…" I muttered to myself.

Unfortunately, it wasn't like I had a map that could tell me where I needed to go though. And I hadn't seen the full play through of Vanish, so I wasn't sure where the gate could have been. I was a bit stumped and I knew that if I went out there, then I would most likely be chased and even attacked by those mole men. I stood there, tapping my chin as I contemplated on what to do. Probably not really a smart move as I stood there like a sitting duck, but I had to figure out what I was going to do next before I take any action. I was so much in thought, that it wasn't until a hand rested upon my shoulder I realized I wasn't alone. I let out a howl of fear and turned around, thinking I'd be facing a monster. But my eyes instead focused on a broken Damien.

"Cosmo… thank god you're alright!" Damien huffed as he had a pained face.

I looked over at the man before me, his clothes had been teared apart to reveal chunks of his arms, legs and even chest. His hair was messy and flowed to his left side, mostly covering his left eye. He was taking deep breaths as he looked at me, eyes wide as they swam with mixed emotions. "Damien?" I wasn't too sure at first, but as his smile spread across his face I knew it was the Mayor. "Oh my god! You're alright!" Without much thinking, I embraced him in a hug. He flinched, but he too wrapped his arms around me. It was nice to see him again. Though I knew he was just another alter ego, it was nice to have some conscious and human company. We parted after a minute and I looked at his eyes that were so broken but held some light still. "W-what happened to you? The last time I saw you, you were in that room Celine and I were in and the door shut on you."

Damien took a step back from me, his smile was lost on his face as he looked down to the ground. He self-hugged himself and sighed. "It's… confusing." He began. "After you and the others left to talk to George the Groundskeeper, I stayed behind. I was too distraught to comprehend anything. I was going to check on the Colonel to see if he was alright. But I heard a voice coming from the room you and the Seer were doing her work in. I thought I would check it out to see who was there. That was a mistake on my part though as this strange shadow creature appeared and attempted to grab me. I opened the door and tried to reach for your hand, but it shut itself in my face. I was surrounded in darkness and it hurt… The next thing I knew, I was down here in these sewers, trying to find a way out. I've been able to avoid the creatures roaming down here, but barely."

"I'm sorry…" I muttered as I held my hands together. "I should have saved you. But they wouldn't let me." I felt guilty as I thought about the trauma he must have went through down here. The Chief was right about one thing, I seemed to have been the cause for all of this mess. It was me the dream demon was after, and he was bringing all these alter egos of Markiplier, and maybe even Mark himself, into this.

Damien placed a hand on my shoulder and he looked into my eyes. "You have nothing to be sorry about. If anything, I'm glad you didn't save me so you wouldn't have ended up in the same situation as me." He was too kind, I didn't deserve his words. Yet they were enough to motivate me to help them even more. "What about you? How did you get down here?"

"William and I came down here to try and find a dream demon."

"Dream demon?" Damien tilted his head in confusion.

"It's… a long story." I summarized to tell him I didn't have time to explain and I didn't think he would believe me. I wasn't too sure if he was even aware of what he truly was. But he had been through enough already and the last thing he needed was some existential crisis. "But we came down here to try and expel the demon from… this house. And with any luck, free your friends and everyone else as well. The only problem is, I don't know where the gate is."

"Gate? You're looking for a gate?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's a very large and secured caged door. I'm pretty sure that's where the demon is."

Damien's face lite up again and that smile was back. "I saw a gate not too long ago."

I looked at him with curiosity and a bit of hope. "You did?! Can you take me to it!?"

"Yes, but…"

I stared at him as he said that, there was more. "But?"

"To get to the gate, we need to bypass these creatures. They look like humans, but they have features of cats and they attacked me upon seeing me. Like Werecats."

"So the mole men aren't the only ones we have to worry about." I muttered. "I do have a gun with me but I don't know if that will be enough."

"We should wait for the Colonel. If he's down here, we could use his help to fend off those creatures and make it to the gate."

Even though his suggestion sounded reasonable, I shook my head. "No, we can't waste any time. We have to get that demon out of here while it's still weak. By the time Warf- William shows up, we could be too late. We'll figure out a way to get past those Werecats."

Damien was unconvinced of my actions. "Are you quite sure?"

I bawled my hands into fist and bit my lips. "No, but if we don't do something we might as well call this place home from now on."

That alone made Damien question his choice. He rubbed his arms up and down, probably for comfort and nodded. "Alright, but we must be careful."

"I've made it this far, haven't I?" Damien looked at me and smiled. He seemed amused of my answer. With him on my side, we headed out of the engine room and he lead the way to where the gate was. It took a few turns and passageways, but eventually we made it to a large room with many more pipes and boxes stored around. Peeking inside the space, I saw the creatures that Damien had described. They looked human, but they had black fur covering their bodies, pointy ears and whiskers. Their body types told me that two were girls and three were men. They had hair of human on their head but they still acted like natural animals.

"There seems to be only five of them." I noted as I looked into the hallway. Just beyond the creatures lied the giant gate guarding the possible lair of the demon. "But even if we attempt, I doubt we'll be able to get pass them."

"If only the Colonel was here. He's had experience with hunting wild animals."

"Those aren't animals, they're monsters." I told Damien while looking back at him. "And even with him by our side, there would be five of them against three of us. We'd still be outnumbered."

"So then, how do we get past them?" I was trying to think of a way to get them far from us so we could pass. If I could just get them behind the pipes, they would be blocked off from us so we could make a run for the gate. I just needed something to throw at them. I looked down in my hands and saw the small bag of the Wade Potter dolls I found with the bottle of water. Come to think of it, the whole situation of Werecats and a Harry Potter Wade reminded me of a small animated video of Mark and his friends, Bob and Wade, taken from an October livestream. I laugh now just thinking about it. About how they were doing an improve story and Mark, Bob and Wade had to fight off these human-cat creatures that ended up eating Wade in a Harry Potter cosplay. My eyes lit up at the thought as I gained an idea. The answer was literally right in my hands. "Ah-ha…" I whispered to myself.

"What is it?" Damien asked.

"I think I know how we can get passed them without having to fight them. Stay behind me, I'm going to throw these Wade Potters at them." Damien looked at me as if I was crazy. But I knew what I was doing, that I was sure of. I reached into the small plastic bag and took out a miniature Wade Potter. Then I poured some water from the bottle onto him and threw him into a small corner. He ended up growing to human size right in a flash. Raising his stick into the air, he yelled "Peenus Hypeus!" As if he wasn't aware that Harry Potter was fiction. That gained the attention of the two female werecats. One with long bleach blonde hair and the other with long dark brown hair. They maneuvered around the pipe to get to Wade and started to tear into his flesh. "Yes, it worked!" I smiled.

"Dear god…" Damien sounded like he was on the verge of barfing. "Such profanity."

"Don't worry, he's not real. Besides, it was either him or us and we had to make a choice." I told him.

"I suppose." Though he wasn't too sure, he went along with it. We quietly walked passed the female werecats and kept going. We were blocked off by two male werecats, one with light blue hair and the other with curly brown hair. Once again, I used one of the miniature Wades, poured water on it, threw it far away from us and watched as it grew up to be a man. Yelling the same spell to draw the attention of the two werecats and he ended up being a meal for them. We were nearly to the gate, we just had to get passed one final werecat. This one was of grander proportion, having a big round belly and a crown upon his head. The king of the werecats, most likely the most dangerous one of them all. But I used the same tactic on him as I did the other four and he ran to it like Wade was catnip. I guess technically he was considered that seeing as how much these werecats loved to dig into him and devour his tender flesh. It was a good thing I kept reminding myself this was a dream, because I would have most likely thrown up on the spot.

Eventually, we made it to the gate. I looked back at Damien with a confident smirk. "See, I told you my plan would work."

"How did you know that those creatures would be attracted to that man?" Damien raised a brow as he asked.

I shrugged as I replied. "Intuition and a reference." Getting serious again, I turned back to the gate. "We made it though, and that's what matters." I eyed the gate to see how to open it. There was a bunch of locks on the bars, each one a different color. There was a white one, a black one, a red one, a blue one, and pink one, and a cream colored one. "I don't remember this gate having so many locks before…"

"It won't be too complicated of a puzzle, will it?" Damien asked, sounding nervous.

"No, it seems pretty straight forward. I just need to find the right keys." I whipped out the key chain I had gotten and started examining each of the keys. Luckily, the keys and locks were colored coated, so it was easy to know which key went into which hole. It didn't take me too long to undo each and every lock. As the last one fell to the floor, the gate opened with a loud creaking sound as if the bars had been rusted over the years. I felt anxious as the gate opened, realizing that this was it. Once I stepped passed this barrier and go to the other side, the demon would most likely be waiting for me. Even though I knew this was coming and did my best to prepare for this occasion, a bit of fear still gripped onto my mind and heart. To tell me to go back and have someone else deal with it. I wasn't ready, it tried to tell me. You haven't done something like this before. You didn't know what you're getting yourself into. You could very well die. Even so, I knew that there was still no turning back. The only direction was to move forward, no matter what lie ahead of me. I knew what was behind me, and going down there would mean doing all of this, taking all of these risks would have been for nothing. I would not have accomplished my end goal. Proving that I was just the scared, young, naive, disabled girl I was. But not anymore. The only thing that truly kept me going at that point, was the fear of going back and regretting a choice I made but couldn't fulfill it because of my own stupidity.

My feet slowly took me into the other room, my eyes being prepared for what horrors they may come across when we reached the other side. I took myself into a room that looked similar to that of the engine room. But instead of large machines there were enormous crystals the color of blood. My breath caught in my throat as I looked into the room and eyed closer at the red crystals. "What… is this?" I asked myself as I slowly made my way to a crystal that was closest to me. I noticed right away a figure that was trapped in the large statious. My eyes widened at the horror to see Dr. Iplier, his whole body encased inside the crystallized structure. His arms raised up and mouth was agape, as if he was trying to defend himself from something. I looked around at the other crystals and looked inside each one… the other egos were inside their own prisons. Horrified and frightened, as they were sealed by this fate. "Oh my god… they're all here." I muttered to myself. "Bim, Ed, Google, the Host, and … all of them are here." There were seven red crystals. Three on the left side of the room, three on the other side and one that was larger than the rest was seated at the far end of the wall opposite of the entrance. One of the crystals on the left though was empty, as if it was waiting to be filled with its victim. But my main focus was on the largest crystal in the room. I walked over to it, knowing full well the person who would have been encased in there.

I looked at the large crystal, inside was Markiplier himself. His posed seemed to have been the most peaceful out of the rest of the victims. His hands were to his side, raised slightly with open palms. He wore his signature Markiplier shirt, a black t-shirt with a white pixelated M in the center, with a pink mustache on the very letter. His blue jeans fit perfectly upon his legs and his glasses rested on his face. He didn't look scared at all, it was almost like he had… accepted this fate. Regardless, even though he looked safe, it would only be a matter of time. "Mark! Don't worry, we'll get you and the others out of here." I pressed against the cold surface of the gem, pounding on it with my fist. It didn't break, I should have expected that. "Damien, we have to look around and see if we can find something to smash these crystals." I told him while examining the prison. These gems… they looked familiar. Almost identical to the one in… I looked down at my fist and saw the ring I wore. The gemstone in it seemed to have matched nearly perfectly with that of the crystals used to seal Mark and his egos. I was so deep in thought though, that I didn't notice Damien walking up behind me until a shadow fell over my being. I turned around, staring up at the man before me now. His eyes were obscured by his hair. Was it always that messy? I was sure it didn't look like that before. His face was emotionless but I was getting scared. "D-Damien?" I raised my arm, trying to reach out to him. But it was his arm that latched onto my throat. It was so sudden, the breath was knocked out of me, I wish it hadn't because with the fingers digging into my skin it made it hard to breath. I reached at the hand that was holding me hostage and tried to pry it off me, but it was no use. He was stronger than me and all I could do at that moment was gasp for breath.

"Oh, shut up." Damiens' voice became deeper, as he spat venom at me. His fingers loosened a bit, but they still kept a hold of me.

"D-Damien?" I cried as I tried to look at him. He looked up at me, his hair mostly parted to the left of his face. His eyes were empty, black sockets with red irises.

"What did I just say? I don't want to hear another one of your pathetic cries. You were given the chance to leave, but you came back like a fool. Thinking you could be strong enough to defeat the darkness plaguing yours and Marks' mind. But now, I am in control." His lips curled into a toothy smile as his eyes gazed upon me with malicious intent. "You, my dear Cosmo, won't be getting out of this."

"S-stop it…" I begged like the helpless child I was.

"Oh, please!" He chuckled with amusement. "You asked for this."

"W-what does t-that mean?"

"You still haven't figured it out yet? You couldn't figure it out even with all those clues. I should have known you wouldn't understand." He mocked with amusement in his voice. "While you were so confused and doubtful as these murders took place, the darkness kept growing with every bitter word and anger you built up. While the game was fun, it's my turn now."

"Who… are you?" I asked.

"In a sense, I'm an alter ego just like everyone else here." He gestured towards the other alter egos encased in their own prisons. "But I'm a… special kind of ego. A dark persona of Markiplier. I think you know who I really am."

My eye grew wider as I stared into the face of the demon of horror himself. One of Marks' oldest alter egos and one of the most dangerous ones.

"...Darkiplier…" I choked out.

"So, you do know me. Took you long enough. But, better late than never I suppose." He shrugged and released the hold on my neck. I fell to the floor and coughed, trying to regain some air in my lungs. I stared up at him, he was so tall and towered over me. That smile never leaving his face.

"So… you did this…" I quietly said. "You killed the alter egos and Mark! You're the reason I'm having these nightmares!" I raised my voice as I stood up on my feet again.

"Me? You think I did all of this? Sure, maybe I orchestrated this whole rouse, but it was all for my own benefit. I was just getting back what I wanted."

I backed up until my back hit the gem of Marks' prison. Holding tightly onto my dress as my knuckles turned white. I looked down at the hand with the ring on it, remembering Celine's warning as well as the Groundskeeper. "You want this?" I held up my hand, showing off the silver band with the gemstone.

"That's right…" Darkiplier reached his hand out, his palm wide open. "If you just hand me the ring now, I promise to end your suffering quickly."

"You mean you're just going to kill me?!"

Another chuckle escaped his lips. "Of course, you didn't honestly think I'll just let you go so easily. Not after the trouble you had me go through just to get what rightful belongs to me. You should consider yourself fortunate. After all, I could just keep you down here for a long time. Making you lose your mind, having your insanity eat you up until you succumb to it. But, I'll show you mercy and make your end a quick one. If you cooperate enough, I'll even do my best to make sure you feel as little pain as possible."

I stared at him, my body still shaking. But I stood up straight, looked him in the eye with a stare of defiance. "No! I'm not going to let you keep hurting me and Mark!"

Darkiplier lost his smile as he placed his hand on his temple and rubbed his head. "Please, your naivety makes me sick. Do you honestly believe you can defeat me."

"I'd rather go down knowing I tried than give up and let you get an easy win! I am not afraid!"

"Heh, you say that now… but we all have fears. And I'll bring out yours." Darkiplier raised his arms slowly until they were over his head. With a snap of his fingers, the room around us grew darker and darker until the fog covered everything. I couldn't see the crystal prisons anymore and I couldn't even see where  
Darkiplier went to. I frantically whipped my head, trying to locate where he was. I should have known he would be using the darkness to his advantage, it was his name after all. I had to stay calm and try to think rationally. He was probably trying to elude me with his manipulation, but I wouldn't fall for it. My eyes were wide open as I tried to locate him. Hoping that he wouldn't get the jump on me. But I heard him materialize behind me, and just as I turned to face him he raised his hand and made a shoving motion at me. I felt myself being lifted and thrown across the space, hitting an invisible wall. My back collided with the solid foundation, and I fell to the floor. The wind was knocked out of my lungs from the impact, but I managed to pick myself back up and look at him.

"Do you really think you can stop me? I have the most power over all of the egos and in this world. I created this world, I rule it. You alone can not possibly kill me."

I only glared at him, my hatred rising. "I don't… have to kill you. I just need to get you out of this world!" I shouted at him.

He responded by disappearing into the dark again. Appearing right next to me this time, slapping me across the face so hard, I ended up flying a couple of feet across the room, skidding through the floor. I prompt myself up on my elbows and knees, watching him as he walked towards me. "Look at you… you're so weak…" He mocked while making his way towards me. "Haven't you realized that coming back got you nowhere? You can barely help yourself, and yet you want to save Mark and the others? They are all far from saving at this point. Why do you even want to save them? A lot of these alter egos got on your nerves, didn't they?"

I rubbed the back of my hand on my chin, feeling the bruise forming from the hit I recieved. I'll live, but it stung like heck. "M-maybe you're right…" I breathed as I was on my knees. Looking into those soulless eyes of his. "Maybe I don't know each and every single ego about who they are or where they were from. Maybe I don't really know Markiplier as Mark Edward Fischbach. And maybe I can't even consider myself his die-hard fan because I haven't watched every single one of his videos and I don't know everything about him. But I do know this…" I struggled to stand, and though I wobbled a bit as I got onto my feet I was determined to make my point. "You are hurting me just as you are hurting Mark. It's one thing for you to want to play mind games with me because of what I have that you want. But dragging Mark into this, dragging anyone else into this when they have nothing to do with it… is something I won't stand for! The egos may not be real people, but they are part of Mark! And he's just as real as I am! He brought you and the others to life with the help of the fanbase. They all are real! And when you killed them, you killed a part of Mark! He did nothing to deserve this!"

Darkiplier stood where he was. He looked at me, face blank of any expressions. That made me really uneasy, because at that point I had no idea what he was thinking at that moment. Was he upset with me? Did he think I was some sort of joke? After a long time, he finally responded. "Oh, my dear… you have it all wrong. The man that I am possessing choose me."

I was even more confused by that statement. "W-what does that mean?"

"It means that he took ahold of my power when he found me. Sure, he didn't know anything about me nor did he know the consequences of what his actions would bring him. But he had his chance to dispose of me, and yet he kept me around. I was slowly driving him insane, making him paranoid and even causing him to lash out and hurt those he loved around him. Putting him in this status is showing him an act of mercy. I could have easily killed him, but he is still needed for me to be sustained."

I turned around, the crystal prison of Markiplier now visible in the dark void. I remembered the notes I had found on my third visit in this dream state. About how Mark talked about going to a Pax convention, working on another project with him and the team and how he was starting to lose himself. I had no doubt in my mind now that Darkiplier was behind what was happening to Mark. But… why now? Why would Dark take control of Mark's body during this time? And now that I thought about it… Dark couldn't be a real threat because he was just a fan made character the fan base made. So, it couldn't really be Darkiplier attacking me right now, right? Before I could look back at the demon, his hands were around my neck once again. I quickly gripped the hold to try and pry them off, but his strength seemed to have doubled.

"You just don't know how to back down when you've lost." His cold, harsh tone told me as our eyes locked in a death stare. "You can't do anything to save him. You're just a human, a mortal. But…" the grip around my neck tightened, and the air from my lungs started to diminish. "If you still won't understand, then I suppose I'll just have to make you."

I could feel the pressure around my neck increasing as the sharp fingers dug into my skin. My breathing became harder to do, and I was starting to feel light headed. I remembered Celine's warning, about how if I died in this state then I would most likely die out in the real world. That meant I'll never be able to see my sisters again. I would die and no one would know the reason why. Not only that, but I would have failed Markiplier, his fan base and even myself. At that moment, I had never felt so helpless before in my life. For the first time ever since the death of my parents, I wanted help. I wanted to call out to someone, anyone! My sisters, my brother, my friends or even the fans. I knew none of them would come though, but just the thought that there would have been someone to call out to comforted me. Because it proved I wasn't alone. But I was on my own, I entered this world alone and now I would die here alone. My vision began to fade in and out as I could feel the air escaping my body and none of it coming back in. I had truly believed that I would have died right then and there.

However, my life had been spared as I heard a gun shot fire off. Darkiplier dropped me to the ground, immediately I began to cough and tried to get some air back into my system. The water from my eyes still made my vision blurry, but I was able to see what was going on. Dark was holding his right shoulder blade with the opposite hand, he had turned towards the entrance of the room now that the darkness had disappeared. A smile spread across my lips as I saw a familiar pink-lipped man pointing a pistol at the demon.

"Step away from the young lady, you demon!" Warfstache warned Dark as his steady hand aimed for the demon.

Dark coughed up some black goop and some of it dripped down his chin. Black spatters of what seemed to have been his blood coated the floor from his mouth and the wound he received courtesy of Warfstache. I never thought I would have been so happy to have seen that mad man again. I guess he was able to defend himself against the mole men after all.

"I had forgotten about you, William." Darkiplier responded with a harsh and cruel scoff. He took a step towards Warfstache, but he continued to aim the gun at Dark.

"Don't you dare take another step, you ghoul!" Warfstache warned. "I know what you are… what you did. Do you really think I'm going to let you go after you killed my friends and Markiplier!"

"And why do you care so much?" Darkiplier questioned. "You know what Mark did to you. What his fan base has made you out to be. Yet you still want to save and defend him even after the trauma he has put you through?"

"You mean the trauma YOU have put me through!" Warfstache corrected. "Sure, Mark's backstory for me was what you have done. But he would have only killed my best friend and my lover. You on the other hand have done far worse! Besides," Warfstache eyed me with his goofy smile. "Even if I am a terrible man… I at least have a reason behind my insanity." He then turned back to Darkiplier, face that of a pertator. "Unlike you!"

"And you don't think I have a motive for what I am doing?! I have suffered just as much as you. I've been pushed aside… replaced… mocked! I have been trapped here for so long and now that I am free, so much has changed! But I will no longer be subdue in that small prison. It's my turn to take back what belongs to me!"

"That will never happen!" I shouted at the demon. "Not after everything you have done!"

"This is the end of the line, demon!" Warfstache raised his gun, his finger pressing on the trigger, ready to open fire. Darkiplier growled with a beastly tone, he disappeared into a cloud of smoke within a second. As he left, I immediately hurried up to Warfstache. My eyes held a glassy surface to represent how upset I was.

"Are you alright?" I asked him.

Warfstache shook his head. "Nevermind me, what about you? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

I nodded, but reassured him. "I'm fine, just a few bruises and cuts. Hopefully those don't transfer over back to my reality, otherwise I'll have a lot of explaining to do with my sisters."

Warfstache uttered a chuckle as he patted me on the back. "I think your family will be the least of your concerns after this is over." I smiled up at him, he did have a point. I guess even the crazy ones can make some sense now and again. The pink mustache turned his attention to the crystal prison Markiplier was in. He tilted his head and rubbed his chin while examining it. "So, this is where that beast trapped everyone."

"I've seen this crystal before. From the ring I have… there must be a connection but I don't know what."

"Does it matter if it means anything?" Warfstache pointed out. "You came here with a mission and you must conquer it."

Once again, he kept me on task. I nodded and grabbed my hand that held the ring. I took it and held it up high in the air. It helped me out before, and hopefully it would show me mercy and save me again. I took a deep breath, concentrating all my thoughts into this ring. I had to awaken its' hidden powers, to get it to follow my command only. "Come on…" I urged with a plead. "Please, let me use your power." I would have begged if the situation required it. At this point, I would have done anything if it meant finally ending this nightmare. I waited and pleaded more and more, for anything to happen. I cracked my eyes open to see what was happening around me and was taken away. The effects of the ring were showing up, rays and beams of red light emanate from the ring and red mist swirled around me. I could feel the power lift me in mid-air, I was hovering over the ground. This strange sensation filled me from my toes all the way to the strands of my hair. It felt cold and yet why did my body sweat? Either way, a smile found itself upon my face as I held up the ring higher. The brightness of the light intensified and the mist grew more in volume.

"That's good, Cosmo! You're doing it!" Warfstache cheered me on. I looked over to him, giving him my smile as the power surged through my body, growing stronger and stronger. For a moment, it felt like I wouldn't be able to control it and would end up lashing out. However, so long as I only focused on the ring and my wish, I was confident that I would be able to accomplish this. But a split second of doubt plagued my mind as I looked behind Warfstache to see black iris and red orbs.

"You have been an important asset to this trap of mine, Warfstache. But now, I no longer need you." Those cold words caused the pink man to tense up, sweat drops were present on the side of his forehead. In the blink of an eye, a gray hand punched through Warfstaches' chest, blood splattered onto the ground. Warfstache coughed up his own life fuel, and fell to his knees.

"WARFSTACHE!" I screamed as Dark removed his fist from the Colonel's body. Warfstache, with a shaky hand, reached up to the wound in his chest and gripped his clothes. He stared at me, eyes clouding up as they began to lose their life. I watched in horror as his body fell to the floor, crimson waters formed around his being like a lake. I gasped and cried as the only one that had truly helped me through this was gone. Darkiplier shook his hand, spilling some more blood onto the ground. He looked up at his dirty hand and tsked.

"I really hate killing up close. I always get dirty. But it is the most efficient way to kill." He turned back to me, rolling his eyes upon seeing my wet face. "Oh please, he's just another ego. His death means nothing to him or you in this world or reality. I highly doubt anyone even truly cared about him. Just like how Mark never cared about me. Warfstache should be considered lucky, all of the other deaths they received took between a few minutes to an hour before they drew their final breath. His final moments of pain only lasted seconds, he should be considered the merciful one. Unlike your death…"

I lowered my head while he talked, the bangs covering my eyes. Warfstache had died trying to help me… all of them died because of me. I had started this mess… but now I had to finish it. "...get out….." I whispered so quietly, I wasn't sure if he heard me.

"Hmm? What is it now?" Darkiplier asked in annoyance.

I quickly whipped my head back up to stare at him, tears streaming down my face but I had a look of pure rage upon me. Shouting as loud as I could, I said to him; "I SAID GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Aiming the ring towards Dark, I unleashed a blast of red energy. He was caught in the crossfire, and I became blinded by the intensity that I created. The redness surrounded me and eventually, engulfed me to the point where I fell unconscious.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

My body twitched to life, indicating that I was able to feel. A painful tingle shot through my veins, but it didn't hurt badly. Cracking my eyes opened, I wanted to get a better look around my surroundings. It was all blurry around me at first. So I sat up on my knees and clutched my forehead in my hands. A small headache pounded inside of me, but it quickly went away as I took a couple of deep breaths. Re-adjusting my sight, I looked around to see that I was back in the closet room. With shaky legs, I stood up and looked around. My first thought was that this had to have been an illusion. I was still trapped in that nightmare realm that Darkiplier created and this was all a rouse to let my guard down. Turning my head, I faced the mirror that Celine had used to contact me. My feet took me to the reflective surface, and I stared at myself for a long moment. I blinked a couple of times, as if to test that if I turned away my virtual image would be replaced with either the demon or the Seer. But it remained, no matter how long I turned away. "Is it… really over?" I questioned my reflection. I had made to move my right hand so it would feel the cool glass of the mirror. But I stopped, feeling a familiar object inside the palm. Opening up my hand, I looked to see the silver ring with the red stone resting on my skin. It no longer glowed or pulsated with a bright and powerful aura. Now it seemed like an ordinary piece of jewelry.

At that moment, if felt like I could cry. I had believed I succeeded in banishing that monster from my mind! Not only was I able to face my fear of the darkness, but I defeated it! I clutched the ring and held it close to my heart. It had saved me from that monster, and helped me face what I needed to face. I looked back at it, and for a moment I was remembering when it took ahold of me. The radiant light that surrounded me, the surge of power that coursed through my body, and then how I used it to drive back Darkiplier! But that smile was soon replaced with a sadden expression as I was reminded of Warfstache. I wasn't able to save him from Darks' warth. Though his sacrifice was not in vain, I knew it wouldn't have brought him back. I still remember that wound he had received from Dark's attack… how he fell to the ground while his own blood surrounded him. No doubt that image would be stuck in my head for a while. Though I wasn't sure what would become of Markiplier and the rest of his egos now that Dark was gone, I could only hope they would be safe. Hopefully, Mark will be able to face his friends and family again and maybe even start making some new videos. But I could wait until he was feeling up to it. After what he must have went though, it will probably take him a while before he can even have the motivation to play any horror games. Now that I thought about it, I questioned how much Mark would remember of what happened. Perhaps he would wake up, believing it to have been a dream. He would have been the lucky one.

My thoughts were interrupted upon hearing a knock on the door. I quickly turned around, a bit in a panic. But as the door opened and revealed a familiar face, I sighed in relief. "Hey, you've been in here for twenty minutes, we were wondering what was taking you so long." Kris placed her hands on her hips as she looked at me, her eyes narrowed.

I smiled as I dusted off the skirt part of my dress. "Sorry," I stated as I looked at her. "I… got caught up chatting with my friends." I lied.

"Did you tell them about this fundraiser?"

I nodded. "They wish they could be here to help, but one is in another state and the other is having night classes." I rubbed the back of my neck, hoping that my excuse would be enough for her to buy it. My sister looked at me with a suspicious look, as if she was unconvinced for a moment. But she ended up shrugging and opened the door wider.

"Well, now that you're ready let's get out there. People are starting to show up so we have to get the last details in order."

With that demand, I walked out of the room with my sister. The mirror stood there, left behind but would not be forgotten for very long.

?

For most of the evening, it was pretty dull and quiet. I helped Kris, Kay and Juan finish setting up the last few details of the party. Then more and more people began to arrive at the minute, filling up most of the party room. Some of them sat at the table and ate some of the food. Others just talked about trending topics in the news or ideas relating to the non-profit. The younger ones were dancing on the floor, listening to some hit music from Ariana Grande or even Shawn Mendes. My job was to make sure that those that had to have been here, showed up. Since attendance was part of my job for the evening. I went around, asking people for their names and checked to see if they were on the list. Luckily, we had no intruders so my job was fairly easy and manageable.

The party began to pick up at around seven. Pretty much everyone that was related to the non-profit through business or family were there. It was kind of a slow party, mostly the chatter of the people was all I heard. I looked out into the room, standing at my podium and sighed. The last time I was at a party was when I went to that Markiplier Mansion in my dreams. It only turned out to be a fraud though, but at least I had a good time before the true nature of that manor was revealed. Sure it was awkward at first, but the games that I played with the egos and the introductions to mostly the friendly faces was a pleasant experience. I was never really much of a party girl, but now and again I would make an acception. Although, after going through that experience, I wasn't really up to this event. Sure, it wasn't as grand as the manor party, just a small gathering of business partners and friends who have helped my mom build her business over the years. But seeing everyone dressed up in fancy clothing, the music playing in the background and the laughter only reminded me of an imaginary world gone wrong. Truth be told, if I ever saw another party event after this, it would be too soon.

I rested my arms on the surface of the podium and placed my head in the comfort of them. I was starting to become bored out of my mind as I stood there, like the wallflower I was. Everyone else was having a good time, so why was I in that corner sulking? I blamed it on the experience I went through in that dream state. Believing it to have taken away my energy and enjoyment. But if I had to have been honest with myself, I believed it was because I felt I didn't belong. Then again when you are an 18 going on 19 in June, it can be hard to find out where you really belong. It doesn't help much either that your parents have pretty much left you and you have a label slapped across your forehead. My struggle is probably a lot worse than most young adults my age. I guess it was just hard for me to realize who I was at the time and what my path would have been. Sometimes, I wish I was like one of those anime girls who had a magical destiny. They would have such an exciting life, going on adventures, defeating bad guys, making relationships with their comrades and even falling in love with a hot guy. But this was real life, not another one of my make believe shows. Still, all it took were just the encouraging words of the wise mascot and I felt like I could face my destiny.

"Geez kid, you look half dead." I bolted up from my podium upon hearing that voice. I turned around, seeing Kay smiling at me. She looked so beautiful in that dress of hers. I don't care what she said, looks don't matter in my eyes. If only I could say that to myself when I look in the mirror. How hypocritical can one person be?

I sighed and rubbed the back of my head. "I guess it's the boredom." I admitted.

"Yeah, not really as spectacular as our wedding, but it has more class. According to my wife." Kay chuckled.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I don't want to stay here much longer. I'm…"

Kay gentle smiled at me, she had that sympathetic look on her face again. "I know… but social events are good for you. You need to get out more and talk to people."

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind." I gestured to the room around us. "People my age tend to go to the mall, or to a house party at the least."

"Your mom would kill you if you ever threw a wild party at that house." She remarked.

"Well, she's not here now." I spoke with bitterness in my voice. I turned around, away from her eyes. Self-hugging myself, I looked down at the floor. "I know you and Kris are trying to do what's best for me. And I appreciate it, I do. I know it can't be easy dealing with someone who has this… problem. But the more you help me, the more it feels like I'll have to rely on it. If I keep doing that, how long until I realize that eventually, I might never need to think for myself."

"Kate…"

"I want to try to at least be normal. I do want to go out there and break my shell, but it's easier said than done. The only friends I have are either in another state or town! It's not like I can just bike my way to them. The internet and social media are my only source of communication with people that I share common interest with. I'm happy with where I am now, but I guess you two can't see that."

Kay, however, was more persistent that I thought. "Kate… you can't keep living your life like this."

"Why not? My life works the way it does, why change anything if it's not broken!"

"Kate… you're life isn't perfect…"

Those words had gotten me hard… she was one to talk! "Real life isn't perfect! And I know my life is far from it… but at least I can still keep going. Besides, your life and Kris weren't perfect either… Remember how much hate you got from your family when you came out to them? How much our family struggled when Kris told us all she loved you as a partner?"

Kay looked away, her eyes downcasted to the floor as they were half-lidded. "Yeah… those weren't the best days." She admitted with sorrow in her voice.

I regret saying that to her, knowing how painful that experience must have been. I looked back at her and tried to calm down. "You know I support you and my sister together. You've always been family to me… I've always thought of you as my other sister. And I'm glad you two are happy. So long as you two are happy together, that's all that matters. My point being, I've respected your happiness, so why can't you understand mine?"

"Because I'm worried you might not really be happy." Kay replied. She walked up to me, placing her hands on my shoulders and had me look her in the eyes. "Kate, your sister and I became your guardians after your parents died. We just want what's best for you."

"And you think me staying at your house will make me happy!?" I protested.

"I didn't say that… but-"

"That house is the only thing I have left from my life with my parents! I can't just leave it behind! It's the only thing I've ever know!"

Kay sighed, in disappointment as she let go of me. She turned around but said one last thing to me. "You know, it's a hypocritical situation you are in. You say you want to grow up and be more independent. And yet you keep being stuck in the past." I heard her walk off. By the time I looked up, she was already gone. I leaned against my podium, a heavy heart weighed in my chest. What did she know? She didn't understand the horrors I've seen, what I had to witness happen to my parents. And those dreams didn't really help me either. As much as I wanted to tell my sisters about the night terrors, I figured it would be best to keep them a secret. Even if I had told them, it would only make them worry about me more. Best case scenario, they would just think I was being myself.

They didn't understand. That house was the only sanctuary I had left. The only piece of my life that is still standing, still in stable conditions. If I leave it, I'll be saying goodbye to the life I knew and the one I've been trying to build up for myself. Things were going well for me at that point, that I didn't want to put anything in jeopardy. All I wanted was a life that was… normal. A life I could live so I can be with people who had everything under control in their lives. I wanted to be one of them. And I felt that now, I had some control. I looked down at my finger where the silver ring was placed. A small smile crossed my face, thinking that with that dream-reality over, my life can pick up where it left off. And at that point, I was confident in believing I could tackle anything that came my way.

I walked from my spot and headed into the gathering room, everyone was taking their seats. The lights dimmed and my sister walked onto the stage. I watched from afar as the spotlight was on her. She looked so beautiful and proud in that outfit, striking her way up to the microphone. She reminded me of our mom, how she was a strong, independent woman that raised the two of us along with my brother. Everytime I looked at my sister, for a moment it felt like she was back in my life. But when she began to speak, I was reminded that it was my sibling and not my parent that I was looking at. Kris straightened the microphone on the stage and tapped it a few times, listening to the audio it picked up. Every set of eyes were on her as she held onto the equipment and spoke into it.

"Good evening everyone," her voice echoed through the large warehouse. "And welcome to the Caring Coordination Connections fundraiser event. We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the founding of this non-profit. To thank everyone who has helped establish this foundation from the ground up. A lot of you have helped build the bridges that so many who need help can use to walk across to get what they need. Without you, none of this would have been possible. We would never have gotten to this point." She lowered her head as her voice started to become weak. "I would also like to take a moment to reflect on the CEO of this nonprofit, Amy Leer. She was the one who started this, turning her idea to give the health system to those who could not afford it. Though she has passed away nearly two years ago, things have not been the same since her absence. We all miss her dearly, and we wish she could be here with us tonight." A heavy silence fell across the room, faces began to express deep sorrow. A lot of these people here were good friends of my mom not just through business. Her lost was just as great on them as it was on her family. "But," she regained that composure in her voice. "If she were here now, she would be proud of the progress we have been making and the people we have helped. We throw this event in her honor and hope that she is able to look down upon us, knowing we have raised one of her children to the point that it can begin to help so many. Tonight, we rejoice in the foundation of this non-profit and honor the founder. With that, we hope you have a good evening by enjoying all we have prepared. Those who would like to take a moment to come up here and give their own speech, may do so whenever they feel." Taking a bow towards the audience, Kris left the stage as the people in the room clapped.

Kris walked down the stage and headed in my direction. I met her halfway as both of us smiled. "That was beautiful, Sis."

"Well, you did help me write it. Some of the credit should go to you." She told me. "I wish you could have been up there with me."

"You know me, I'm not good with public speeches…" I flushed as I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear.

"What about when you made one during my wedding?" she pointed out. "It brought me and Kay to tears and even our mom loved it."

"Well, yeah, but that was you two… this is a lot bigger…" I looked away, too embarrassed to even think about it anymore.

She had a look on her face, the kind that an understanding guardian would have. She hugged me tightly and I hugged back. "You know… sometimes it's hard to see you now and picture that little sister of mine who loved to draw and write."

"I'm still that same girl who loves doing what she did. I just… got bigger…" I shrugged as we departed from the hug to look into one another's eyes. "You've changed too."

She responded with a nod, tears started to fill up her sockets. "I just wish you could have remained young a little while longer."

It was just as hard for me to accept that I would soon be 19 in less then two months. I just couldn't believe how old I really was. I agreed with my sister on one topic, I wanted to stay younger a while longer. I wanted to go back to those carefree days of living with my parents. Writing stories both fiction and fanfiction, drawing things based around my work. If only…

My thoughts were put on pause as I spotted something from the corner of my eye. I glanced over and for a moment, it felt like the world around me had stopped. For I saw a man in a dark suit, staring at me with dark eyes. That familiar face only looked at me, with lips in a straight line and his head was visible by the side. We locked eyes with each other only for a moment, before he turned around and disappeared into the crowd. I was baffled… and even frightened as the familiar demon was there in this very room yet no one seemed to have noticed.

"Kate? Are you okay?" I blinked and looked back up at my sister, who stared at me with worry.

Shaking my head and putting on a fake smile, I answered. "S-sorry… I was just… reminiscing about the past…" I acted like I was being reminded of something tragic. Trying to get Kris to become sympathetic towards me so she could let me go. To my surprise, it worked well.

"Hey, the past is behind us. We only have the future to look forward to." She lifted my chin up so we were at eye level. "You've been a big help to this foundation, and I know that you will do as well in the years to come. For now, you should go and have some fun." Our bodies left each other's and she headed off towards the stage where Juan was, managing the equipment. I watched her leave, and as soon as she was distracted I began my search. I moved through the sea of people, trying to find that demon. I wanted to believe that it was all just my eyes playing tricks on me. I was sure I had gotten rid of him from my dream world. But… Celine didn't inform me about what would happen to him afterwards. I didn't know what was going on at that point. But I had to make sure. Even if he was here, he would not harm anyone! I used the ring to banish him from my mind, surely I could use it to exile him from this building. If it still worked, hopefully. Pushing my way through the crowd, I kept my eyes peeled to see where Darkiplier could have gone. It wasn't like he was hard to miss with his gray like skin and black sockets, he would stick out like a sore thumb. So why had no one notice him? Was I the only one that could really see him? They were the lucky ones then.

Somehow I brought myself to the stage, where someone was talking about how the non-profit had helped them in their time of need. I had searched the perimeter, but still no sign of that demon anywhere. Maybe it really was my imagination playing tricks on me? I had hoped that was the case.

"Kate!" I jumped as I heard a voice behind me, but calmed down upon seeing who it was. "Enjoying the party?" Juan asked me with a smile.

I shrugged as I turned my nervous eyes away from him. "You could… say that." I was not going to go into details.

"Well, glad to see you like it. Our hard work seems to have paid off." He noted as he looked at the stage. The one who was talking had finished their speech and taken their bow to the audience. They exited the stage as the people in the crowd clapped for them. "You know, you should go up there."

I whipped my head back at Juan, a questionable expression on my face. "M-me? N-no… I couldn't possibly…"

"Come on, your sister has already given her speech and Kay will be going on soon." Juan urged me. "Besides, I'm sure they'll convince you to do it."

"B-but I don't do public speeches…" I protested.

"Just say the first thing that comes to mind. You'll be fine."

I hated it when my elders tried to peer pressure me. When it came to writing and getting things down, I was a natural. The only setback was that I could barely speak it. I was always afraid of those who would judge me, that I wouldn't say the right things. But the event was important to my sisters, to these people and to my mom. The least I could do was say how proud I was to be part of this foundation and hoped to help it prosper in the near future. And maybe… it would help clear my mind. I needed to get what happened at that dream manor out of my head. I was in the real world now, and I had to act like an actual person. Taking in a deep breath, I marched right up to the microphone. Adjusting it so it was at my mouth level. The eyes and spotlight were on me at that point. I looked out to the sea of people, my heart was pounding with anxiety as I felt like I was going to sweat. The crowd was so large, it only added to my gittering nervousness. I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. Don't draw this out longer than it needs to be, I told myself. Just say how proud you are and then be off.

I slowly cracked my eyes open and drew the microphone closer to me. "H-hello…" I stuttered as my voice echoed through the room. I cringed at how nervous I already was, trying to introduce myself. Just stay calm, I repeated many times in my head. Try to picture this as another school speech, you always did well on those. I sighed and looked out to the crowd, doing my best to face them head on. "I'm… sure a lot of you already know who I am. Kate Leer, Kris and Kay's sister and Amy's daughter." I shrugged as I took my eyes from them at that moment. "Growing up… isn't easy for anyone. And it certainly wasn't easy for us. Our mom had to deal with two husbands at one point, and she had to raise three kids. And it didn't help that one of those kids had special needs…" I paused, thinking about my childhood and how weird I was compared to the other kids. "Our mother had given up so much to raise us… she couldn't go to college because she had to take care of Kris. She would often argue with not only her first husband, but my father as well. I knew that at a young age she seemed unhappy, but I didn't understand why.

"However, as we grew up and became more independent… mom tried to do what she loved best. She went to online school to get her degree in medicine and assistance. She became a nurse at a clinic and helped so many people get the care they needed even if they couldn't afford it. Eventually, what she was doing turned into a passion. A passion to help those in need, to make sure they didn't suffer like she had to. That's why she founded this non-profit. She wanted to give the health care that those who couldn't get it needed. She loved what she did and she loved what she turned it into. When she had made this nonprofit, I was just beginning high school. We both faced a new chapter in our lives, and though that chapter of mine has ended a long while ago, this foundation's story is just being written. Even though the original author is gone, her successors will pick up the pen and write down the stories that need to be heard." I raised my arm up high, looking up at the ceiling.

"I may not know where you are now, mom… but I hope that you are looking down on my sisters and I, a smile on your face as you see how far we have brought this non-profit without you. And we will make sure to keep it going and strong, with the support of your friends and family. That's why I want to thank everyone for attending, because this foundation meant so much to my mom and she wanted it to grow. Out of all of her children, I think this one was the one she was most proud of." A few chuckled came from the audience as I laughed myself. "Though this non-profit is still young, it has touched and helped the lives of so many. And within time, it will do the same for many more. So let us celebrate this business my mother set up to help those in need of health care. And may we be able to help grow this non-profit so that it can still be around for generations to come."

The crowd clapped along with my speech as I wrapped it up. I bowed to the people and looked over the sea of heads to see my sisters in the far background, clapping and smiling at me. I thought I could see tears welling up in Kris eyes for a moment. She must have been proud of me. I was just as proud to have been able to make this speech on the spot and deliver it without any difficulties. I scanned around into the crowd to see if I could spot any other familiar faces. My heart stopped beating for a moment and the breath was caught in my lungs as my iris' landed on a familiar gray-skinned figure. He was sitting cross legged in a chair, clapping slowly. Those black sockets and red pupils kept their hold on me. Our eyes locked onto each other's for a brief moment, but it felt like eternity. I thought that if I had blinked, he would go away. I would think of him as nothing more than a mirage. But my eyes were too fixated on him. I was able to feel his dark aura from the stage. Why could no one sense it? Why was I the only one able to see him? What was he?!

As the clapping was dying down, that was when things got worse. I thought I would have fainted on the stage as I kept looking at Darkiplier. I stood there, frozen in fear. Until the lights on the stage and in the room went out. A blanket of blackness covered the area everyone was in. Chatters of worry and confusion filled the space, giving me the opportunity to run off the stage and to where my sisters and Juan were. How I was able to find them through the darkness, the light from the DJ station Juan was at helped.

"What's going on?" Kris asked as her voice went into panic mode.

"We could have blown a fuse." Kay thought.

"But I checked the circuit boxes before we set everything up. Everything seemed fine." Juan explained.

I looked around frantically, trying but failing to find Darkiplier. I wondered if it was him who had done this.

"Well, either way," Kay sighed. "Someone should go and check the fuse box. Maybe someone just flipped the switch as a prank."

"It better have not been one of those kids." Juan rubbed the back of his neck.

I clutched the top of my dress, knowing full well who had to go back to the box. "I-I'll go and check." I said.

Even though I didn't exactly see it, I could feel the eyes gaze upon me. "Are you sure?" Kay asked.

"I can handle it," I assured her. "Dad taught me about electrical stuff in case the breaker went out at the house. If this breaker is anything like the one at home, I know what I'm doing."

Before anyone could protest, Kris went up and hugged me. "Thanks Sis, you'll be fine!" Letting me go, I headed past them and went straight behind the large black curtain, holding the storage shed. Taking out my phone, I used the flashlight to give me a small perimeter of light around me. It wasn't much, but it helped me to navigate where I was going. I looked around in every direction, expecting something to pop out. I knew that Dark had to have been behind this. Why else would he turn off the lights? Clearly he wasn't done tormenting me, even though I beat him twice. This was my problem though, and I needed to fix it. As I went further into the storage unit, I could hear the patter of footsteps around me. But I kept moving forward, knowing that I was leading the demon away from the guests. Of course, I would jump whenever I saw a shadow pass by me. I was stunned for a moment, but then regained my composure and kept walking.

"I know you're here!" I called out to the darkness. "If you have a problem with me, then come out and face me instead of hiding in the shadows like a coward!" If it was a fight this demon wanted, then I would give him a fight. I already knew how to use the ring to keep him back, I wasn't scared, I could handle this monster. But the further into the storage unit I went, and the closer those footsteps and the more encounters with the shadow I had… I slowly began to lose my courage. I didn't know how much longer it would be before the suspense would finally break me. But my destination was clear, and I went towards it. Eventually, I made it to the end of the storage place, where the panel box for the fuses and switches should be. I was relieved to know I had made it to the box, but as I held my flashlight close to it so I could examine the breaker, my eyes grew wide. The panel that had kept the box closed was dangling from the hinges, the locked used to have kept it shut was on the floor, broken. I leaned in closer, checking the box and… were those, claw marks on the box? Whoever had open and broken this panel… they weren't human. Could it have really been Darkiplier that did this? Last I checked he didn't have any claws.

I heard footsteps behind me, my body froze as those patter noises got closer and closer. When they stopped, I slowly turned my head, expecting to see Darkiplier standing behind me. He would be wearing a creepy smile as he knew he backed me into a corner. I turned around, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew I was going to expect him, but the tension was still there. My eyes however caught sight of a different figure as I aimed my light at him. Juan stared at me, his head tilted and his eyes confused. "Kate, did you find the problem?"

"Juan, what are you doing here?" my voice was on edge as I looked around, expecting Dark to appear at any moment.

"Everyone is getting anxious out there and your sisters thought you were taking too long. So I came here to make sure you were-"

My eyes looked over Juan's shoulder and saw two glowing red eyes hovering over him. My mouth gaped as my eyes looked into those glowing orbs. I couldn't say anything before a claw like hand reached out to grip his shoulder. Juan jumped and then screamed as sharp teeth dug into his other shoulder. I gasp and back up to the wall as blood gushed out from the skin. The creature that was biting down into the man held onto the shoulder tight, to make sure he would not get away. I only watched as the creature feasted upon the warm liquid that came from the wound. Part of me wanted to stay and fight, but I didn't know what this creature was. But I knew what it wanted. Picking up my feet, I ran from the scene. I tried to hold back tears, but they poured out of my sockets. I dashed out into the larger party room, gaining the attention of my sisters as they were near the curtain.

"Kate?" Kay looked at me with concern in her eyes. "What's going on?"

"We need to get out of here! NOW!" I shouted at my sisters.

All eyes were on me now, as I was exasperating. Confusion and worry was on everyone's face, and even my sisters were beginning to panic.

"Kate, what is the meaning of this?" Kay asked me as her arms were crossed over her chest. I wanted to explain to her what I saw. I wanted to tell her everything right then and there. But what could I say? How would I explain it to not only my two guardians, but to everyone around me. They would surely think I was insane, but at the same time it was the only way I would save their lives. I opened my mouth, about to say something, anything to get them to move. However, a low growl was heard from behind me. Turning around, my eyes were once again staring into shiny red orbs and I knew I had to run. Not giving the creature a chance, I bolted passed my sisters and the crowd while the demon jumped from behind the curtain, attacking a nearby woman. Screams of horror filled the room and the pattern of footsteps stomped on the floor. I was carried off with the crowd who were leaving to the exit, being seperated from my sisters. I regret that I couldn't go looking for them or called out to them. But the panic filled me so much, all I could think about was finding a safe place from that beast. For some reason, my legs carried me back to that coat room with the large mirror. I rushed in and slammed the door behind me, using a chair to jam the doorknob from my side. As I backed up and looked at the barricaded door, I tried to regain my breathing. All I could think about was that creature… how it looked similar to that of the one that killed my parents nearly two years ago. The eyes… the naked features and the thirst for blood with the hunger for flesh. I was most certain this was the same creature that took my parents away from me. But why was it here?! Why show up now after a long period of time?! Has it come back to finish off the job? To kill me and my sisters? But then… why attacked Juan and not me? Was it toying with me? I gripped my head in my hands and started to cower in fear. I was certain that I was going to die right then and there, in that coat closet being eaten alive by some savage beast.

"Oh god… oh god please… please tell me this isn't happening… Celine! Celine where are you?! I need your help! Please! Someone! ANYONE!" I screamed in the small room, expecting a hero to appear. A knight in shining armor to step off from his high horse and slay the demon with his holy sword, like in those cheesy romantic medieval novels. But this wouldn't be the case for me. Instead of a knight in white armor, I got something else. Behind me, I could hear glass being shattered. My breath was caught up in my throat and I was scared to turn around to see who or what it was. But it was after that voice, that called out to me like a silky curtain yet dripping with malice, rang in my ears.

"You really can't be quiet to save your life." Darkiplier stared at me, his black sockets glared off as his face was that of annoyed. I took a step back, wanting to get away, but he stood where he was. "I wouldn't go out there if I were you. That Scavenger will only get another meal."

"S-Scavenger?" I blinked.

Dark crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes never leaving me for a split second. "That creature on the rampage. It seems that it wanted to find its' next meal and so it found a buffet."

"Call it off!" I shouted at him. "Call off that monster! This fight is between you and me, leave everyone else out of it!"

Dark looked taken aback for a moment, but he quickly regained himself and shook his head. "You think I'm the one that sent that beast? That was not my doing. Compared to me, that thing is just an animal relying on instinct and only cares about eating. I may be powerful, but the only minions I can summon are those small boxes that you have had first hand experience with. And you are right, this fight is between you and me. While I do wish to accomplish a job, I'd rather do it on my own knowing it was done right. Besides, it's fun messing with someone that knows more about me and my origins."

I listened to what he was saying, like it was just a normal conversation between the two of us. He wasn't the one that sent that creature, nor did he have any ties to it. I didn't want to believe him, but he was making valid points. I held my arms in my chest and stared at him with a defenseless expression. But he held no pity for me. "You, young human, have been giving me a thrilling experience. Do you know what I had to do to set up that manor? I had to connect my hosts' mind with yours so you two could have the same dream experience. Then I had to build the manor from the ground up, not to mention get the other egos to be my pawns in this. It wasn't an easy task, and it left me nearly powerless for a while. My goal was to trick you into gaining your trust, so that way you could hand me back what belonged to me. But you proved to have been more pessimistic than I thought. While I had fun tormenting you at first, it has just given me a huge headache at this point. I want this little game of ours to end, Cosmo." He purred my name off his tongue, making me get chills down my back. I backed up another step and shook my head.

"If you think I'm just going to hand you back the ring, after everything you've put me through… everything you've put Mark and the other egos through, then you really must still be in a dream! You may have had power in the mind, but this is my world!"

"True, in this world, without my ring I have little power. If that is the case, I am the least of your concerns." He chuckled. I whipped my head back behind me, hearing some more screamed through the door and howls of hunger. I knew what was behind that door and what I would find should I leave. I could deal with Dark anyday, I've proven that more than enough. But this creature was something entirely new. I wasn't sure how I would be able to handle it. I looked down at the ring on my finger and for a moment, contemplated if I should go out there and use it on the beast. It was tempting, but what if I wasn't able to summon the power? It only worked when I was in the dream realm, but I was in the real world at that point. It hasn't been active since I came back, the glow it had was pretty much dull. And even if I could summon some power from the piece of jewelry, I didn't even know if it would be strong enough to at least chase the monster away. On top of the fact that everytime I used the ring, it made me feel… different. I couldn't explain it, but this ring gave me a power that made me feel fearful of myself. While it was welcoming… it seemed like it was hurting me and I wasn't fully aware of it. In that moment, I didn't know what to do.

"You know, I'm tired of giving you a choice. If I was strong enough, I could just take that ring from you by force." Dark spat out with threats. "However, I can barely keep this form under control as is without the ring. Using my powers with little strength would only prove to be my downfall. So, that is why I'm offering you one last option."

"What do you mean?" I dared to look back at him, knowing that doing so meant he had my attention, that I would be caught in his trap. But if he had some solution, I had to at least hear it out.

Dark chuckled again. "You are in quite the predicament. You have a Scavenger out there, tearing apart so many people, including your loved ones. If you go out there now, it would be suicide. True, you have the ring, but without understanding the full grip of its' power, it'll be like going into battle with a gun without ammo. And even if you somehow managed to drag that beast off, you still have to deal with a pissed off ego." He pointed to himself with his thumb. "So, instead of facing the problem on your own with little experience, how about you let me take care of everything?"

"What are you proposing? That if I give you this ring, you'll kill off that monster out there?" It was so crazy, it couldn't have been true. Was he really offering this option to me? "Why would you even do that? How will I know you won't just take the ring and leave me to be the next course meal for that creature?!"

"I may be what some of you humans call a demon, but I am a being of my word. If I say that I will take care of the problem, then I will. Besides, you are my prey and my prey alone. If that Scavenger were to get ahold of you, it'll be taking my catch away from me. And I don't like it when my things get taken away." He said the last sentence with a menacing tone as his eyes went a darker shade of black.

I was caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, I could deal with the situation myself. Try to kill two demons with this ring, but I wasn't so sure I could use it. I could give the ring to Darkiplier and he could deal with that monster out there. Save the people from it and then I would have to deal with him on my own defenseless… I wasn't sure what I should do. Until I heard a familiar scream from the otherside. Un-barricading the door, I opened it to take a peak out on the floor to see what was happening. I could see Kay beating the creature with a large broom stick as she was in front of Kris, her shoulder bleeding as she laid there curled up on the floor. The monster prowled around Kay, on all fours and hissed at her, ready to pounce. My sisters were in danger, and if I didn't do something soon, they would be killed! My eyes went wide at the thought of seeing my sisters die just like my parents. Only this time, I could do something about it. I turned towards Darkiplier, his hands rested on his hips as his eyes glared at me. I bite my lip, already feeling the regret of the choice I was about to make. But I knew it had to be done. I hurried over to him, taking the ring off my finger and presented it to him.

"Alright, I'll give you this ring if you kill off that monster! But you have to promise me that no one else will get killed or put in danger. And if you come back, only come back to me!" Those were my conditions. Dark looked at me and gave me a curt nod. He took the ring from my palm and I watched as he held it in his gray hand. The ring began to pulse and glow with a brilliant red as it shape-shifted from a simple finger circulate jewelry, to a long black cane with a red-cloudy orb at one end. After the shape changed, Dark grabbed hold of the cane and looked at me. His body vibrated for a moment but his smirk was still there.

"It feels good to be back…" His form turned into a cloud of black smoke, and navigated passed me to the door, going through the small crack. I rushed back over and watched from the safety of the closet as the smoke traveled to the Scavenger. The monster had clawed the weapon Kay had out of her hand. Kay held Kris in a protective hugged as they were both backed against the wall, the fear on Kay's face and the draining life from Kris only made me want to cry. The creature raised it's claw like hand up in the air, ready to swipe at them. But it turned its' head upon seeing the black fog form by its' side. Eventually taking shape into that of Darkiplier. The creature now had its' focus on him, roaring at the other demon as if trying to intimidate him. Dark however, rushed up to the creature and beat it with his cane. He moved so fast I didn't even see him run. He swung his cane at the face and the creature went flying across the floor, smashing some of the tables in the process. However, the creature stood up from the mess of decor and growled lowly. It jumped high in the air and aimed itself at Dark, claws out and teeth showing. Dark however, swung his cane again, this time with red waves of energy emitting from the stone. It blasted the creature out of its' trajectory and made it fall back to the ground. Dark continued to use these waves of red energy to keep the Scavenger down, getting it to be cornered up against the wall. I could see red ooze covering the creatures' skin, its' breathing shallow and its' roars hoarse.

Dark aimed the cane at the creature, the stone shining a brilliant red. It seemed that he was about to finish off the creature with a final blast. A sheer flood of pleasure and joy rushed through my body, thinking that that creature would be killed off and pay for what it did to my parents and what it attempted to do to my sisters. I had walked out of the closet, thinking it was safe to come out and watch the final move to end this fight. The anticipation was killing me, I just wanted Darkiplier to deliver the final blow so I could be assured I would be safe. But it never came, it would have had I not intervene. I eyed the room around me, noticing the decay state it was in now. Tables were scattered everywhere, some of them broken into pieces. There were claw marks and holes in the walls, the floor and even the ceiling. The stage was littered in dismantled lights and equipment. You could really tell that a monster went through here. It was hard to believe that only a few hours ago, there was a party going on. Now it was just a party of death and corpses.

My eyes fell upon the beams suspending on the ceiling. They were loose and they were ready to break and fall. I looked down and realized that they were about to fall onto Kay and Kris. Kay was trying to help my sister up, but she was losing so much blood that she could hardly remain conscious. There was no way they would be able to get out of the way in time. The beam was on its' last leg and the creaking noises it made proved it was going to fall. I didn't know what to do though, I couldn't go over there and help move them out of the way. They were too far and I doubted I could push them just in time. I looked over at Darkiplier, as his cane now sparked a large red beam of energy, aiming it at the creature. Without thinking of the consequences, I ran over to Dark, grabbed his cane and aimed it at the beams hanging above my sisters heads. The red ball blasted through the air and disintegrated the ceiling, forming a hole in the roof. A little bit of ruble fell from the blast, but it wasn't bad enough to have done serious damage to my sisters. I watched as they got covered in powder and debris, relief flooded me knowing they were alright. I turned back to look at Dark, I instantly regretted my choice as he stared at me with black sockets and red orbs.

"What were you thinking?!" He snapped at me, grabbing my arm with claw like hands. For a moment, I thought he was going to kill me right then and there. I embraced myself for the worse, but both our attention got drawn back to the creature as it let out a blood-curdling howl. Limping quickly to the wall, it slowed down as it crawled up to the ceiling and out through the hole in the roof. I watched it as it escaped, though I had so many things going on in my head I didn't think much of it at the time. I only saw its' retreat as a sign of victory on mine and Darkiplier's part. "Huh… guess it realized how powerful I really was." Dark sighed, taking his hand off mine. I took a few steps away from him, keeping my eye on him for a moment. He seemed much more calm now, holding his cane and staring up at what was left of the roof. His aura that pulsated with that of a malicious intent also seemed to have decreased. Though it was still there, it wasn't threatening. I was tempted to say something to him, I wanted to thank him for saving me and my sisters. As my mouth opened and I was about to form the words, flashing lights caught the corner of my eyes. I looked towards the entrance of the building, seeing paramedics bursting through the door with stretchers and bags full of equipment. I turned back to see how Dark would react to this, but he was already gone. I didn't even hear him leave. I looked around to see where he went, but my search was in vain. Instead, when my eyes fell upon my sisters huddling against the wall, I immediately ran towards them as the medics were heading there.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

It was already past midnight as I waited in the hospital room. Sitting on the bed-shaped table, kicking my legs into the air as I was waiting for the news about my sisters. We were taken to the hospital as soon as the medics arrived. I was fine, just a few scrapes and cuts. Kay also had the same conditions I had, but Kris was worse. Her left shoulder had been bitten through by that creature, and she lost an insane amount of blood. The medics were able to stabilize her long enough for them to take her to the ER. She'd been in surgery for nearly two hours. I was just waiting to get the 'okay' from the Doctor so I could head out and see my sisters. I had to make sure they were okay, that they would survive. My ears and eyes perked up as I heard the door to the room open up. Hopping off the table, I watched the female Doctor come in, clipboard in hand as she was dressed in a white coat. Her sapphire eyes glowed at me behind her glasses.

"Feeling better, Miss Leer?" she asked me as she ran her eyes over the papers.

"How are my sisters?! Are they alright?!" I immediately asked with exasperation.

"You will see them soon enough," she assured me in a monotone voice. "We have to focus on you for now."

"I'm fine! I'm not hurt!" I protested.

"We have to make sure…" She placed the clipboard down on the counter and took my arm, examining it. I had gotten into a gown as the Doctors had ordered, so they could get a better look at the cuts on my body. They had already patched me up with a few bandages and antibacterial medicine to ensure no infections. But she was making sure she didn't miss any. I rolled my eyes at this waste of time. I could be out there, giving support for my sisters but I was stuck here getting care I didn't need. They were the ones who were really badly hurt! I couldn't stop thinking about that bite mark on Kris's shoulder ever since we came here. I've heard about people being attacked by animals before, and some were lucky enough to live. But what attacked my sister wasn't an animal… it was a demon. A Scavenger, as Dark called them.

Now that I thought about it, after the creature flead Dark just up and left himself. I was actually surprised that he didn't come see me while I was waiting in this small room to punish me for what I stole from him. Maybe he finally gave up on me? Then again, that seemed like wishful thinking. I was more than positive he would come back to face me again, and with that ring of his back in his possession, he had the power to finish me off. Well, I would be more than ready to face the consequences. I didn't care what happened to me, but I did care about Kris. If Dark hadn't helped, she probably would have been dead along with Kay. In all honesty, I owed him a lot.

"Can you tell me how this happened?" the Doctor asked me.

"I told you before," I narrowed my eyes at her. "My sisters and I were attacked by a monster!"

"Darling, there's no such thing as monsters."

"Tell that to my sisters and the other victims!" I practically barked at her. I didn't mean to be snippy, but I was tired, confused and anxious. I just wanted to make sure Kris and Kay were alright and just sleep and never wake up. Luckily, it seemed she took the hint as she backed up in her chair and nodded.

"Well… it seems you are all patched up and ready to leave. I'll… leave you then…" She stood up and walked out of the room. I sighed deeply as I was glad that check-up was over. Walking to the nearby chair, I switched out of my gown and changed back into my dress. It wasn't exactly the best thing to wear at a time like this, but it was all I had. After I got changed, I looked at the door.

"At least that's over. Now I need to find my sisters." And with that plan, I set out to make that happen. I walked out of the room and began to navigate my way through the hospital. Going down hallways of patient rooms, walking through the clinic and the check in area, getting lost now and again. At least there were people around and the lights were on. Hospitals always seem to give off this vibe of creepy and errieness. Especially during the devil and witching hours. Maybe it was because of those horror games and movies I've always watched. Just the idea of being in a place where people die, where there are many strange and enormous devices used on people daily, gives the sense that there was something off about the atmosphere. I'd rather go to the dentist then the Doctor anyday. At least they only check one part of your body. As I walked down through the halls, I noticed that some of the patients here must have been other victims of that party. I highly doubt many would survive… I wans't even sure if Juan had lived. The police were still investigating the area, but some bodies never came up. Juan was one of those bodies.

Eventually, I made it to the ICU wing of the hospital, where Kay was sitting down in one of the chairs next to an emergency room door. I made my way to her as my heart began to beat in my chest. "Kay!" I called out. She turned her head to look at me. Her head was wrapped up in bandages and her arms were covered with them as well.

She stood up, looking as anxious as I did. "Kate, are you alright?!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine!" I assured her. "What about you and Kris?! I saw what that… thing did to her."

"I'm fine… a few cuts and bruises by that monster. But…" Kay looked to the floor, biting her lip. "The Doctors are doing their best… but she's been in there for hours…"

"Kay…"

She wiped her eyes with her wrapped up arm as she tried to hold in her sniffles. "I'm worried kid… I don't know if she will…"

I placed my hand on her wounded arm and put on a brave smile. "H-hey… it'll be okay. Kris has been through a lot of injuries in her life, remember. She's strong, she'll face this head on!" I was saying this to try and convince her not to worry. But I was also trying to convince myself as well. I tried not to show it, but I think Kay could see it in my eyes. I could only hope that I would be true to my word. The doors of the emergency room opened, and a male doctor in his mid forties came out. His head, balding and a scratchy bread on his chin.

"How is she, doc?!" Kay asked, the tears streaming from her eyes.

"Her… injuries were very critical. There were times when we were losing her as well…" Me and Kay looked at the Doctor, for a second I thought my heart would drop as I was worried about the news he was going to say. With a wave of his hand, his next words were more comforting. "However, we were able to operate on the wound successful. It took a lot of time and resources, but she is stable."

I un-tensed, hearing those words. "So… she's alright." A small smile crossed my face as Kay sat back down on the chair.

"For the most part. She lost a lot of blood however, and most feeling in her left arm have been paralyzed. Even if she were to recover, there's no guarantee that she'll be able to use it again." He added.

"Can we see her?" Kay asked, looking up with eyes full of sorrow. The Doctor looked over at my brunette sister, he made a face as if to say that she wasn't meant to. But we, as her family, deserved to see that she was at least doing well. At least, her wife should see she was doing well. I walked up to the Doctor, pleading with him.

"Please," I begged. "Let her see her. She's her wife, she needs to be by her side."

The Doctor looked at me, biting his lip and sighed. "Give me a few minutes and you can see her for a minute or two." He turned around and walked back into the room. I took a seat right next to Kay and looked up at her. She looked down at me and smiled.

"Thanks…"

"For what?" I asked.

"For being brave. Somehow, even after what happened, you were able to stay calm. Even during the ride to the hospital."

I looked down, guilt written on my face. "To be honest, I was just as scared. I was just trying to put on a facade because… I wanted to believe badly that things would turn out alright." I admitted.

Kay wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer, so my head was resting on her shoulder. "No one said being brave in these situations would be easy. But you've proven you can handle mature situations."

"Well, I will be 19 in a few more months…" I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

Kay rolled her eyes and looked away with a goofy grin. "Don't remind me, I already feel old." We were quiet for a while, not making eye contact. We were only waiting for when the Doctor would come back out.

I swallowed the bile in my throat and looked back over at my sister. "I'm sorry…"

She whipped her head to look back down at me. "Why are you apologizing? You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I do." I admitted. "I haven't been completely honest with you. Yes, I've been on edge lately. But it's not because of school or my work. There's something going on that I couldn't control. I-I can't explain it… but I thought that if I told, you would just… think I was insane."

"Wait… are you telling me… you thought that thing was stalking you?"

I stared up at her, wondering what she had just said. I was confused at first, but then it hit me. I could use this as an excuse to blame it all on the creature and not Darkiplier. That would be more believable than telling Kay I was being stalked and harassed in my dreams by an alter ego of one of my favorite Youtubers. I went along with it. "Yes… I was hearing noises and I thought strange things were happening around me… I thought I was just hallucinating but…" I tensed up for a moment, trying to find the words. It was hard for me to explain so much in just a few minutes, especially in a public setting. All I was able to do was look up at her and utter, "I'm sorry…"

Kay just leaned in and hugged me tightly. "You have no reason to be sorry. You shouldn't have to go through this alone. I just wish you could have told us…"

"If I had told you, you would think I was crazy."

"Well, you aren't wrong." She chuckled.

"I wouldn't blame you. I hardly believed it myself. I just thought they were… strange dreams turned to nightmares." I went back to those three nights of intense mystery and murder. I was thinking back to Markiplier, all his egos, Warfstache and Darkiplier. I wondered… now that Dark was freed from my mind, what would become of him? What would become of Mark? Would he be alright? Would he forget about me or come back? I didn't know the answers at that time, but I was sure they would come to me soon enough. I did know though, that I had to be alone should he ever show up. I didn't want to get my sisters involved in this anymore than they needed to. One of them almost died tonight, and I could never forgive myself if I lost anyone else I cared about. I had to take matters into my own hands, so I looked up at Kay and told her my thoughts.

"Listen… a lot has happened these last few days. I didn't know what I was going to do, but now I have an idea. Kris is going to stay in the hospital for awhile, I'm not sure when she will be released. But I know that during that time, you shouldn't have to deal with me."

"Kate…" Kay tried to interrupt but I went on.

"I'm serious. I am more than capable of taking care of myself. And now that that thing is gone… I think it's time I head back. I want to move passed these last few hours. I want to try and stabilize my life again. But I want time to process this, try to come to terms with it." I placed my hand on her shoulder and looked her dead in the eyes. "I'll help out with the non-profit and take care of Kris when the time comes. But… I think for now we should try to enjoy the calm while we have it."

Kay's eyes wavered, as if she was about to say something to protest. But she nodded, tears threatening to make their way into her sockets. "I… I understand. You're a grown up now, you have the right to make your own choices. It'll be hard by myself… but I don't know how these hospital bills will affect us and… I don't even know if I can take care of you and balance the medical stuff with the non-profit all together. I do trust you Kate, I know you can do things on your own if you put your mind to it. But," Kay looked at me sternly. "I want you to promise me something. Promise me, that if something is bothering you, if there is the slightest fear or trauma you are dealing with. Then I want you to tell me about it, and do not skip out on any details. Okay?"

I looked away from her for a moment, debating about it. I usually tell my friends more about my own personal stuff than my family, but Kay was worried about me. It was understandable though, after what happened tonight. But there were things I couldn't tell her. Thing she would never understand. If I did, she would probably end up even worse than Kris. And I couldn't take that chance. But I knew she wouldn't allow me to do what I had to do if I didn't agree to her terms. I glanced back at her, giving her a reassuring smile and nodded. She smiled back and we embraced in another hug. As I leaned my head on her shoulder though, a small sad frown crossed my lips. I was only lying because I cared. It was justified, right? So then, why did it still hurt inside?

?

The ride home was a long and dull experience. I sat in the back seat, staring out the window as the scenery passed us by. Oliver was asleep on my lap, the lucky guy. He was able to rest easy and not have to worry about his own fears and demons. But I was just glad to finally be going back home.

After I made my empty promise to Kay, I called my brother and asked him to see if he could pick me and bring me back home. Luckily, it was a weekend night so he was still up playing games with Jace. After the call, the Doctor told us we could go in and see Kris. I debated if I wanted to see her or not, I decided not to and let Kay go in to see. I didn't want to see how broken my sister looked, giving me even more reason to worry about that demon. I knew it was still out there, it had escaped and I worried if it would ever come back to try and kill me and my sisters. Then again, with the amount of damage Dark did to the creature back at the building, perhaps it may not live too long with wounds like that. But this wasn't a normal human Darkiplier tried to kill… I wasn't even sure what it was.

It took about an hour, but David eventually came by the hospital. We informed him and Jace about what had happened, and though they were skeptical about it at first, they were just worried about Kris. I was then taken back to my sisters' house and gathered my belongings, as well as Oliver. Then we rode through the inner city back to the countryside of where my house was. Every so often, my brother and his friend would try and talk to me, trying to get more detail about what happened that night. But I told them I'd rather not rely, giving them the cliched excuse that it was too traumatic for me to bring up. They respected my response though and the rest of the drive was that of utter silence.

As we turned down the corner to head to the street of our family house, my brother looked back at me. "Are you sure you'll be alright? You can stay at our place for the night." His offering was more of a begging. He was worried about me, which meant that he was taking this matter seriously. I shook my head as we pulled up to the driveway.

"I'll be fine. I'll call you in the morning." That was all I said to him as I walked out of the car and towards the front door. I lead Oliver inside and shut and locked it behind me. The car didn't start pulling out of the driveway until I was inside. I watched as the vehicle went off, leaning my head on the door and sighing. "What a night…" I breathed. That was the most vague comment I could ever make to described what just happened. But then again, I'd rather not go into detail. I walked up the stairs, and looked at the oven clock to check the time. It was nearing two in the morning, and my mind was occupied with sleep. I trudged along back to my room and tossed everything onto the floor. I would unpack tomorrow, being too lazy and tried to even bother. I went to my closet and changed into a set of pajamas, all while Oliver hopped onto my bed and made himself comfy getting ready for some more sleep. Looking back over at him as I laid on my bed, I rubbed his head and smiled a bit. "Yeah, you read my mind, Olly." I reached over and shut my bedroom lamp off, covering myself up with the comforter and trying my best to fall asleep. After everything that had happened, I knew that a peaceful slumber wouldn't come to me so easily. But somehow, after closing my eyes I drifted off to the dream world. My dreams that night were mostly vague, but all I remembered was blackness. I didn't know how long I was alseep for, not long enough before I began to hear something.

I sat up in the bed, listening to what sounded like sobbing. "Huh?" I looked around my room, the darkness was mostly covering the space, saved from my flashing rainbow light from my charging station for my phone. I rubbed my tired eyes, and looked over at my clock. It was a few minutes passed five in the morning. I figured I was just hearing something from my dream, but the noise grew louder as I became fully awake. "You gotta be kidding me." I was too tired to be dealing with this bullcrap, but it was clear it wasn't going to go away anytime soon unless I intervene. Removing the covers, I jumped out of bed and made my way towards my door, opening it and heading out to the hallway. I kept my eyes opened, making sure no one or thing would get the jump on me.

I heard the sobbing coming from the bathroom that was next door to mine. I pressed my ear against the door and listened, it sounded like a man crying. It sounded familiar to me, but I couldn't recognize the voice. "There's no way I'm going in there defenseless." I knew if I went in there as I was, I would not stand a chance and would most likely lose my life. After everything that happened and even in my sleep-deprived state, I knew better than to just enter a room in the darkness hearing strange noises. I went across the bathroom door and looked into the closet, taking out the broom. Then I headed into the kitchen, rummaging through some drawers until I grabbed a sharp knife. These would be the tools to defend myself. With the broom in one hand and the knife in the other, I slowly made my way back to the bathroom and slowly opened the door, taking a look inside. As soon as it swung open, the crying ceased. But I didn't let my guard down, I walked in and checked the room. Using the broom, I removed the curtain hanging over the bathtub, raising my knife in case someone jumped out at me. But no one was there, it was just myself. I breathed out a sigh of relief and loosening the grip of my weapons, felt somewhat calm. "Guess it really must be the stress and the night." I headed out of the bathroom and made my way back to my bedroom. I still held onto my broom and knife, just to be safe.

Opening the door, I entered my room and made plans to head straight back to bed. But as soon as I closed the door behind me, my ears perked up upon hearing a familiar voice. "Did you miss me?" I jumped as I looked to see a figure sitting on my office chair by my desk. His legs were criss-crossed and his arms were crossed over his chest. I backed up against my door, gripping the weapons in my hand. I had walked into the demon's den once again, but this time it was unexpected. I didn't say anything, I couldn't respond as fear was creeping up my being. "What's the matter, finally speechless?" he mocked while his eyes glared at me, empty of any expression. He didn't move from his spot, he just looked at me as if waiting for me to do something. I held out my knife and broomstick towards him, trying to keep my distance from him. "Do you really think those mere household objects will protect you from me?"

"S-stay away!" I warned him in a shaky voice. "I-I beat you before and I-I'll do it again!"

Darkiplier shook his head, unamused. "Have you forgotten that I have the upper hand at this point?" He raised his left hand and showed me the back of it, revealing the silver ring with the red gemstone. I gasped and lowered my weapons a bit. That was right, the only object I could use against him was in his hands now. I was defenseless against him and would most likely be at his mercy. Looking down at the broom and knife, I cringed and looked back up at him.

"So what, are you going to kill me off?" I didn't know why I said that in a joking manner, maybe I just didn't care anymore.

"If I really wanted to kill you… you'd already be dead." He uttered the last statement with an animistic growl. I swallowed down my fear, trying to make myself as small as possible, feeling beats of sweat pour down from my forehead. His voice went back to an echoy monotone state and he continued. "However, there are some important matters we must discuss before progressing any further."

"We? I don't think there's anything to talk about!" I protested.

"On the contrary," Dark remarked. "Besides, I'm certain you yourself have some questions, do you not?"

He was trying to get into my head, he wanted to 'talk' to me but I knew there was more to it than that. Why was he waiting? What was he waiting for? He even stated himself he could kill me right now and nothing would stop him. So why was he keen on talking to me, especially after I ruined his plans? He already got his ring back, aside from my life what more could he want from me? Whatever it was, he would probably tell me if I complied. All I could do was cautiously walk to my bed and sit on the edge. He spun around in the chair until we both faced each other. There was a silence among us for a moment, but I was the first to break it. "Okay, I do have questions. But I doubt you're going to answer them honestly."

"What makes you think I won't?" Dark raised a brow.

"You're Darkiplier. You're known for being manipulative and a smooth talker." I pointed out.

Dark merely chuckled as his eyes were transfixed on my being. "Too true… you trusted me… no, Damien, that you didn't even consider him a suspect in that murder-myerstry party I developed for you. The look on your face when I pinned you against the wall and held your neck, the true terror could be felt from your being. I must say, I didn't expect it to go so well… but you figured it out eventually." His face grew more serious and the darkness around his eyes intensified. "I don't know who that woman that called herself Celine was or where she came from. I don't even know how she got into that mindset in the first place. But, it matters not. We're here now and we can finally settle a few things."

"Then tell me, why me?! Why did you do this to me?!" I questioned.

"Is it really not that obvious?" he tilted his head. "I was punishing you for what you took from me." I blinked, confused by what he meant. But as my eyes fell onto his hand with the ring, I realized.

"Oh…" I looked away, embarrassment filling my features. I could feel his glare intensify in front of me. I felt like a child being scolded by their parent for taking something that didn't belong to them. Rubbing the back of my neck and not looking at him, I sighed. "I-I'm sorry… I know I shouldn't have but…"

"My ring was not your payment…" He grunted while unbuttoning his coat and lifting up his shirt. On his stomach, there was a faint red line. I furrowed my eyebrow, trying to understand what it meant. But the line reminded me of a scar… and there were a few stitch scars as well. My eyes widened, remembering the morning I spend bringing a man back to my house and patching him up. I looked back into Dark's eyes, pointing at him.

"Y-you were… you're the guy I brought back to fix up his wound!" I exclaimed.

"I must say, it must be embarrassing to know you brought back an alter ego of your idol to your place and didn't even know who he was." Dark mocked.

"I guess I was just so distraught with what I was doing, I didn't get a good look at the face." I muttered to myself. "How did you even know it was me?"

"I woke up in the middle of the night, finding myself in a strange new location. My wound was patched up, but it still hurt like hell. Being in a human body, unfountanly, means that the body I possess is more prone to get damaged and takes longer to heal. I could have stitched up the wound on my own after leaving the house, but I didn't realize until I was a safe distance away from the neighborhood you lived in… my ring was gone."

Now I understood… that ring was not only a weapon for him, but it contained his power source. His strength, his energy blasts and even his healing properties. That explains why he was so desperate to get it back and why he became much more powerfully when he had it. "I came back to find it, but you had took it with you when you left. So I followed you to the city and tried to find a way to find out where you hid it. I had to be cautious though, I was weak and low on power. When I found out you had a fascination with my host, Markiplier, I knew I could use that against you. It only took a bit of my power to create an invitation to link you to my dream state. Then I just had to wait till you revealed something to me and in the process I could break you down mentally."

"If you wanted the ring so badly, you could have just asked you know." I remarked.

"And let you off the hook for the crime you commited?"

"Look, I said I was sorry, okay?! I don't even know why I took that ring… but it felt like it was calling out to me."

Dark's expression lessened, making me worry even more. What was he thinking now? He just sat there in the chair, contemplating something. "Calling out to you, hm?" He rested his elbow on the arm of the chair and held his face in the palm of his hand. "Tell me… what did you feel when you used the ring?"

"What did I feel?" that question came out of nowhere. But he wanted an answer and he wanted it now. I moved my eyes around the room, trying my best to find the words to describe the experience. "Well… the first time I really used the ring it was… blinding. I could feel it's power wrap around my body, trying to take over me. I was scared but… at the same time I felt powerful." I looked down at my hands and lowered my eyelids. "It was scary, and yet it felt welcoming. The second time I used it, I was more confident in what I was doing. I knew what I was using it for and when it took over me again, I allowed the light to engulf my body. I guess it was a strange sensation… but it was like an experience I never knew could have been possible."

"Interesting…" Darkiplier responded. "Tell me child, you remember when that Scavenger crashed your event and nearly killed your sisters?"

I shuddered as he brought that memory up, but I nodded in response. "What exactly was it… it kind of reminded me of a Wendigo but that couldn't have been it, right?"

"A Wendigo?" Dark raised a brow.

"Yeah, they're from Native American myths and folklore. It was stated that during the harsh months of winter, if a man or a woman ever resorted to cannibalism, they would become possessed by man-eating spirits and transform into hairless, long-limbed beats with sharp fangs and an endless hunger for flesh. I mostly knew about them through my Mythology class and Until Dawn."

Another chuckle erupted from his throat. "Well, in a sense, they do act that way. But what you saw tonight was what we call a Scavenger."

"How are they any different from you?" I asked.

"For one thing, a Scavenger is not keen on their intelligence. They are more concerned with survival. Their primordial instincts are to hunt, eat and kill. They tend to hunt at night and depending on how hungry they are will depend on their hunting grounds."

"But where did it come from?!"

"I can assure you, I have no connections with such a creature. Chances are, like myself, a poor soul has become possessed by the inner demon and began to shape-shift into that form. If that is the case, then once the sun comes up, that creature will be dormanted inside the person until night, when the moon is out. After all, the night time is our time to play." He grinned wickedly as he stared at me. I still had many questions though.

"What does this have to do with the ring?"

"I was getting to that point," Dark sighed with annoyance. "I won't tell you everything, but I'll give you this information. The rings hold not only power, but our very selves. The ring was where I came from, to be more precise." As he spoke, he took off his ring and held it between his fingers. "Do you know what this gem is?" he presented me the ring and I looked at the gemstone edged into the band. I shook my head, he brought the ring back to him and eyed the gemstone. "This… is a moonstone. But as you've noticed it's red, because it represents my blood. As soon as Mark put this ring on, I was able to enter into his mind and take on the very being you see before you."

"And… where's Mark?" I was scared to know the answer, but I had to at least be told he was still alive.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about him. He's safe, just in the ring." He placed the piece of jewelry back on his finger and held up his hand, eyeing the gem. "I need someone to be housed inside the core of this weapon. It runs on soul power, in other words someone or something has to be inside for it to work."

"So you use Mark's soul to power your ring?!" I spat at him, getting upset.

"Relax, it only drains him portion by portion. I don't need to use that much power on myself or on a weak Scavenger. Besides, it's not just him. Didn't you see the other egos in there? True, they may be fictional characters he created, but they do represent a part of his soul. So therefore, they carry the burden powering the ring just as he does. That way, not much energy will be taken from him. And when I'm done using the power, they will just recharge."

"But… why? Why are you doing this?!" I was on the verge of crying.

Dark seemed annoyed by my questions, but he kept answering. "Don't you understand? I've been locked away for so many years. I deserve a taste of freedom. Not to mention, I'm on a mission of my own."

"What mission?" I raised a brow as I grew curious.

"A mission that doesn't concern you, therefore you do not need to know." He snapped. I scooted away from him, but still had my eyes on him. He kept those glaring eyes at me, and I was expecting him to jump at me and end my life right there. But he still remained in the chair, acting smug about his authority over me. Knowing that if I made the wrong move, he could easily punish me for it.

"So…" I spoke up. "What are you going to do now?"

Dark looked up at the ceiling, leaning back in the chair. He thought for a moment and then responded. "My mission I was on got swayed due to a small… pest." Dark growled as he uttered those words. "I was able to take care of him, but that battle left me wounded and I was forced to revert to a dormant state to recover some energy and heal up my wounds. Luckily I was still in the body when you took the ring away, so I had control over my host. But, your theft annoyed me and pushed my plans back. Not only did you steal from me, you also set me back many steps." His eyes pulsed with dark energy and I did my best to not show my fear, but he could see it, I knew he could. The eyes though were turning back to normal as he went on. "But… you did go through the trouble of bringing me inside your house and fixing up my wound. And you did return my ring to me… so it seems you did pay back your due. And I was able to mentally break you down by thinking your favorite Youtuber and all of his egos met terrible fates, which they did."

"Then leave me alone!" I angrily shouted at him. "Or just kill me and end the torment! I don't care anymore, I just don't want to look at you again! You've caused me and my sisters so much trouble because of your selfish desires! It's one thing to go after me, but you shouldn't bring those around me into this!"

"Last I checked, I didn't hurt your sisters. The only one that did that was the Scavenger." I was about to say something, but as my mouth opened no words came out. I looked back down at the ground, thinking back to that creature that almost killed my sister and murdered my parents. "I could have killed that creature with just one more blast, but of course when you were nearby that couldn't be the case. You make every single task difficult when it should be only a few steps to follow."

"So… what will happen to that… Scavenger?" I asked.

Dark shrugged. "If we're lucky, it will probably die from the attacks I used on it. But they are pretty persistent and tend to heal anytime they eat. And seeing as it most likely dragged a victim or two before leaving or at least picked one off nearby… I wouldn't be surprised if it has already healed up. Of course, worse case scenario for it is that it will just be dormant in its host until the body is healed. So if the host dies, then we should be fine."

I shifted my eyes across the floor, as they moved my brain was turning its gears. I thought about what Darkiplier was saying, about this creature and what it was going to do. I just couldn't stop thinking about the look on my parents faces as that monster ripped them to pieces. I was positive that that thing that attacked everyone tonight had to have been the same one that killed my family nearly two years ago. If not, it was the same species. I wasn't sure if that creature had come back for me or if it was just a coincidence that it was around the area. I did know one thing, if I left it alone then it would end up attacking someone else. But I didn't have the skills or equipment to find that thing and kill it. I looked back up to Darkiplier, his brows raised as if he was waiting for me to speak. I knew this would be asking a lot of him, especially after everything I did, but I had to at least ask.

"Do you think that creature will come back for me?"

"I hardly think so. Scavengers don't tend to waste their time getting a meal they can't eat. By now, it's probably already moved on already, they never stay in and area for too long. Then again, if it is possessing a human and it's living in this very state, chances are you might run into it unexpectedly." So my thoughts were correct, somewhat. According to Dark, it was a slim chance but due to circumstances there was still a possibility. And it was one I couldn't take, no matter how low it was.

"Darkiplier…"

"What is it?" He tilted his head to the side, his annoyance seems to be growing with every minute this conversation goes by.

I looked him dead in the eyes, serious and made my request. "I want you to kill that Scavenger for me."

He blinked, looking confused as he eyed me. It took him a moment before he responded with a fit of mad laughter. I waited until his laughing had died down, and he smiled at me. "Ahahaha… that's a good one. You, you dare have the nerve to ask something of me?!"

"I saved your life, didn't I?"

"And you took my ring!"

"I gave it back!" I protested, determined not to lose this battle. "I gave you that ring back on the condition that you would kill of that Scavenger. But it's still alive, meaning your end of the bargain isn't fulfilled yet. And you said it yourself, you're a demon of your word." He opened his mouth, about to say something but quickly closed it. He looked away from me, muttering something under his breath. I waited for his response, for him to tell me anything! He whipped his head back at me, a smirk on his lips as his eyes narrowed.

"And why should I subject myself to do this request. What could you possibly give me that I could want to gain from this?"

Without hesitating, I answered. "Myself." He raised a brow at me again, and I went on. "Think of it like this, I'm willing to pay the price for taking your ring and making you go through all of this trouble. I don't mind giving up my freedom, my sanity, or even my life. But before I go, I want to leave knowing that something was accomplished." Looking down at the ground, I went on. "Nearly two years ago, my parents were killed by a monster, and it looked just like the one that attacked us tonight. I don't know if it was the same one from that time, but I know that it will most likely strike again. I don't want it to take any more parents away from kids like me. So that's why I want you to kill it. You're the only one that has the power to do so, and therefore you are my only option."

"Why should I subject myself to this ridiculous bargain? I could just steal your soul right now, there'd be no witnesses." Dark threatened. And though he did have a point, I wasn't going to lose.

"If I recall, back at the party we made an agreement. By giving you back the ring, you would kill off that monster. And in return, if you ever return it would be for me and me only. I fulfilled my end of the bargain, but you didn't fulfill yours. That monster, is still out there. And last I checked, you stated that you were an entity of your word. Are you really going to back down on your word? Because that sounds like something a coward would do."

His lips tightened into a thin line as his eyes grew darker. I was getting his attention, I just had to sell it. "Besides, if you do kill me, think of all of my family, friends and police officers that will be on your tail. Trying to catch you. Do you really want to have to deal with the fury of an angry mob because you had destroyed the life of a young woman? But," I interjected with a raised finger. "If you agree to these terms, I'll go with you willingly. I'll make it seem like I took my own life, made myself disappear. They won't be able to track it back to you, and you won't have to deal with them hunting you down. I want this deal to come full circle, but I do want to tweak a few details so we both get what we want."

Darkiplier rubbed his chin with his fingers, thinking the deal over. "So, let me get this straight. If I am able to kill that creature that attacked you and your family, you will allow me to do whatever I desire with you?" I nodded without hesitation. A small smirk made its way at the corner of his mouth. "You realize the gravitation of this situation, do you not? If this agreement between us is official, there is no going back. I'll kill that monster, and your very being will belong to me. I could do whatever I want with you. I could give you a quick and painless death or a slow and agonizing one. I could even keep you locked away in the ring, draining your energy whenever I need it or trap you until your mental state fully snaps. Is that really what you want?"

I knew he was trying to get me out of the deal, probably because he didn't feel like going monster hunting. Yet I wanted to be true to my word, I had to make this deal. It was the only thing I could actually look forward to at this point and somehow make a small difference. Not to mention finally getting some closure. I stared him dead in the eyes, as serious as I could be. "Yes. I want this deal."

He glared at me, as if he was wondering if I was sane to begin with for taking this deal. I was a mere human girl, practically making a soul contract with the devil… or at least a demon. His straight face soon curled into that of malicious victory, and he even crackled under his breath. "There's no way you have even the slightest idea of what you are requesting and what you are giving up. Honestly, this is just too humorous. However…" He snapped his fingers, and out of the shadows materialized right in front of me paper, catching me off guard. I looked at the parchment, with red inked words scribbled all over the space. I read over what it said,

"By agreeing to these terms, I will offer my very being to the Outcast of this contract. This deal that is to be made is the agreement between Kate Leer and Darkiplier. In exchange for the hunting and killing of the Scavenger that has attacked Kate Leer and her family, the human must give up her whole being to Darkiplier to do with as he pleases. Giving up her being, her sanity and her freedom." Then there was this small line where my signature was supposed to go. I looked up at Dark, his smirk still on his face. This really was like a deal with the devil.

"Once you sign this contract, there's no going back. When I fulfill my end, I expect you to do the same for yours." He gave me one last final warning, as if expecting me to listen this time. To actually take his advice and just give in already. Even if I turned this deal down, he would most likely just keep tormenting me until I broke down and took my own life. At least with this, the only thing I had to worry about with him is how close he would be to killing off that Scavenger. If I was going down, I'd at least go down knowing I gained something out of this. I glared at him, not backing down from his challenge.

"I'm signing!" I stated. Darkiplier shrugged and opened up his palm.

"In that case, just sign with your fingers. The paper will cut your skin and have it signed in blood."

"Blood?" I blinked, feeling a bit queasy.

"A blood pack, think of it like that. Meaning that if you back down, it'll be your blood that will be shed." Now that was a threat, so there was no way I could get out now. I reached out my finger and as soon as I touched the parchment, I felt a small tingle in the tip, but it didn't hurt. I then traced my finger to start signing my name, watching the trail of my blood leave behind, making the letters form in cursive. Once I was done, I sat back and stared at my name in my own crimson life-substance. It was official… I agreed to the deal and when it was over, while I wasn't sure what would become of me I knew that I wouldn't be in this world anymore. The parchment disappeared into the shadows, and Darkiplier stood up from the chair, walking over to me. He grabbed my face in his hand and our eyes locked together.

"I must say, this is exciting. Knowing there are endless possibilities… waiting for you when this is over. I assure you, you won't regret letting me in. Now, you will never, EVER escape me. So long as this contract is in place, we are connected."

"Connected?"

"Think of it as a binding deal. Since I'll be keeping a close eye on you from now on. If that Scavenger does come back, it'll be important for me to keep you nearby so I can attack it. Plus, this will make it so that no other entities will get you."

"Wait… there's others like you?!"

"I did say I was fighting another entity, didn't I? Of course, a lot won't be up to my level, such as the Saveneger. But I assure you, there are more out there. How many more, I don't know. But with this contract, it'll give you some insurance. It'll show that you belong to me, or at least your soul is to belong to me. Of course, not every demon will be obliged to follow this rule, but if they fear death they will not harm you."

So, this contract also meant I was under his protection. I guess it made sense, I did agree to sign my freedom away as well. At least I was still my own person, and maybe this extra security wouldn't be a bad addition. Because it meant that I wouldn't be killed by any other person or being unless it was Darkiplier. Somehow, that did comfort me in a weird and twisted sense. His hands released their hold on me, but our eyes were still locked with each others. "Do not think that with this protection, I actually care about you. This just means that you are my kill and my kill alone. Unless you want to have a peaceful death and not worry about me on the other side, I suggest you either take yourself out or find another human or entity to finish you off. But in doing so, it will just piss me off more." Sweat drops poured from my head as he said this, he was really taking this deal seriously. I guess he was determined to make me pay by his own hands. Still, I signed my name, I agreed to this, I wasn't going to turn back. I watched as he walked towards my door and opened it, stepping out into the living room, he spoke to me without looking back. "Well, Miss Leer… no… Cosmo, I certainly hope this deal will be worth it on your end." With that, he shut the door behind him and I laid down on my bed, thinking the situation over, not even getting a wink of sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

I shifted in my bed as the morning light poured in through my window. I wanted to sleep in so badly, I just wanted to stay in bed all day and be lazy, looking at my phone for some funny videos. But my eyes cracked themselves opened, and the first thing I saw as I was waking up was the face of a black-furred pug. His big brown eyes stared at me, and his smushed in nose wiggled as he sniffed my hair. A sigh let itself out through my mouth, and I slowly sat up and stretched in my bed. Oliver rolled around on my sheets, helping me get up quicker. I smiled down at him and rubbed his fluffy fur. Checking the clock on my bedside table, I sighed again. "Only ten in the morning, and on a Saturday as well." I threw myself out of the bed and walked out into the hallway, Oliver followed as he danced around my feet. I headed into the kitchen and prepared breakfast for both me and my dog.

As I ate my cereal, I stared out through the patio door and was nearly blinded, but welcomed the morning sun. It was the second to last Saturday of May, and to think my birthday would only be a few weeks away from now. I kept thinking how weird it was, knowing I would be turning 19, just a year short from the big two zero. I felt old, but I shouldn't. After all, you don't start feeling middle-aged until you're in your thirties. Too be honest, there were times where I thought it didn't matter, age was a number. It was about how you acted that showed how mature you really were. If that were the case, then maybe I still had some growing up to do. There were times where I could take matters seriously, but then there were other times I just wanted to goof around and do nothing. I guess I wanted to blame it on my Autism, but in truth I guess it was just my personality.

Now that I thought about it, maybe I should do something special for my birthday. Last year, I didn't really do much for my special day, we just went out to eat and got some cake. My real party was during the following weekend of my graduation, we ended up combining my grad party with my birthday. I didn't mind too much, kill two birds with one stone. Of course, the party planning and set up was a pain in the ass to do. At least my sisters were there to manage everything, so it was fun and it got done fairly quickly. Thinking about my sisters, I had to make sure to call Kay today and ask her how Kris was doing. I hadn't really seen them since that night at the hospital, but I've been calling them frequently. Last I heard, Kris was making a slow, but stable recovery. She's been going through some physical therapy the last few weeks to try and get feeling back in her arm and shoulder. And though the Doctors tell her it may not heal properly, she doesn't care, because she'll do her best to make sure it does. Hopefully, she'll be able to come back home soon.

And maybe we could do something fun together when that happens. After all, this might be the last time I'll ever get to see them before the contract is fulfilled. Thinking back on it, I couldn't believe that all of those crazy misadventures I had happened only a month ago. It seemed like yesterday that I came back home here and found Darkiplier in my bedroom. It seemed like it should have felt longer, and yet it hardly felt like a year went by. Darkiplier goes out every night, to see if he can find that Scavenger that attacked me that night of the benefit. He says that he's been doing his best to track down that creature, but lately he's had no luck. He wasn't sure if the creature was allowing its host to take over during the daytime or if it was in full control over the body and migrating to different states to pick off more victims. Dark mentioned that Scavengers never really stayed in the same location for too long, unless there were tons of people around. I highly doubted that the creature would stay here then, there was mostly farm country out in these lands and barely any people that came out at night. Then again, with such a quiet location, it would make picking off humans much easier.

Darkiplier wouldn't return until the early hours of the morning, once daylight broke. He would retire to where my brother would stay and rest up for the morning. He would usually be awake by the time I got back from classes. Guess he was a night person, though with his personality it made sense. I wasn't sure why I allowed him to stay in my house. The following morning after signing that contract, I found him sitting on the couch reading one of my books. I tried to tell him to leave, but he told me he had nowhere to go. He insisted he stay with me, saying it was because he had to keep a close eye on me and to make sure I would be by his side once the contract was fulfilled so he can claim his end of the bargain. I wanted to protest, but then thought about the situation carefully. I couldn't just let him go around the streets or head back home in this state. Dark wouldn't release his control over Mark, he made that clear. Besides, if he was going to be keeping an eye on me, then I would be keeping my eyes on him, just to make sure he stayed out of trouble. The last thing I needed was his powers to be infecting anyone else around me. And I could use this time to try and find a way to get Dark out of Marks' body while I was at it. After all, I thought it wouldn't be so bad. I'd be able to have some company around the house for a change and it was the alter ego of one of my favorite YouTubers. Granted, he didn't seem as thrilled about the situation, I hardly was. But I had to go in with this agreement with a open mind.

So for the past month now, he's been living here with me at my house. Of course, I have to force him out for a few hours whenever my brother or sisters came to visit. Mostly my brother, to check up on me, but he understood. After all, I made it perfectly clear to him that I didn't want anyone I cared about to get involved with what I had done. They might try to talk me out of it or at least take my place instead. And I could never allow them to sacrifice their lives for mine. Kris and Kay had a legacy to uphold and think about their lives together, hoping to start a family one day. My brother was living with his friend, going to college to major in engineering and I was just a mentally disabled girl, trying to live on her own and barely had much to show for herself aside from my work in fiction. Maybe I was being too hard on myself, but at least those two have a chance of a bright future. I barely even knew what I wanted to do with my life. Most of the time, my parents and family got to make the decisions for me, and now that it was just me… I've been given this freedom I had no idea what to do with. I wanted to make myself a known author and maybe even one day work on comics and even animations. I know it sounds childish, but all my life the only thing I've been good at was creating. Whether it'd be a fiction story or even getting myself into a huge mess, that was my special talent. And I wanted to take it to a level where I can live off of it but still make it fun projects for myself. That's why I wanted to get my degree in fictional writing and animation. The last project I turned in for the class got a B. The teacher was impressed by my story about two demons fighting over a title and how creative the designs were and the powers they possessed. Of course, points were taken off since the figures looked stiff in certain panels and there wasn't too much movement when there should have been. Still, it was a decent grade and I learn as I go.

Speaking of learning, that reminded me that I had to go somewhere today. Even though I didn't have classes today, I wanted to head over to the library for some research. After cleaning off my bowl and placing it in the dishwasher, I prepared myself for the day. Changing into some shorts and a t-shirt from one of my favorite fandoms. This one was a Bob Ross T-shirt where he's painting a landscape with trees and birds. The captions said in bold white letters, "Have you ever made mistakes in life? Let's call 'em birds. Yeah, they're birds now."

"Oh Bob, if only mistakes were that easy…" I chuckled to myself while looking down at my shirt. The next thing I had to do was pretty much make my bed and clean myself up in the bathroom. Mostly just brush my hair and teeth, wash my face, put on some deodorant and wash up my glasses. Once that was done, I went to my room and grabbed my bag with a few things in it. I didn't know how long I was going to be at the library, but I didn't want to be there all day. As I headed out to the hallway, I paused in my movements to look at the room across from me, where my brother used to sleep. The door was opened a jar and I silently took a peek inside to see what was in the dim-lit room. On the futon, that had been made into a bed position, Darkiplier was sleeping in the thin blankets, snoring loudly. I could see the gleam of his red gem from his ring shine through on his finger. He never let it off his hand since he got it back. I dare not even attempt to try and take it back, mostly out of fear of what he will do to me when he would get it back.

At least Darkiplier was able to settle down fine here. I kind of had to help get him settled at first, telling him a few ground rules. Such as he wasn't allowed to hurt Oliver, me, or anyone else that came into the house. Whenever my folks showed up, he had to evacuate the house for a few hours. He could watch and wait to come back in and then once they left he was invited back inside. He also had to help out around the house, nothing too drastic though just pick up after himself. He could do his own laundry, keep his room tidy, take care of his dishes after he was done eating. That wasn't a problem though, he always handled his own space. He seemed like a neat-freak as well, looking into the room it was so tidy. I guess that was another trait to his personality I could add. He was resourceful though, at times when he was out he would end up grabbing his own dinner. Not really sure how he was able to afford it, but as long as it didn't lead back to me, I couldn't care. He also seemed to have taken a lot of clothing from his hosts' house, and stored them here. I kind of wish I could have gone with him at the time, it would have been cool to be in Markiplier's house. But he did it one night while I was asleep, plus I don't think he had any intention to bring me. Guess he didn't really care, or maybe he just didn't want to be noticed? He was a mysterious entity, but he was also my guest and a demon I have a contract with. And though I have no intentions of getting out of said contract, I do want to make sure Mark can get out of his deal with Darkiplier.

I walked back into my room quickly and took out a piece of paper and wrote a small letter to Dark to hang on the refrigerator. This way he'll know where I've gone and not worry. He's made it perfectly clear that he didn't like it when I arrive home late. One time, I ended up staying longer at the library to do an assignment and I didn't tell Dark. He ended up leaving the house to fetch and drag me back. Not only was it awkward but it was hard to not draw attention to ourselves. Strangely enough, somehow no one has noticed him even when he goes out. Actually, no one ever noticed his gray skin or dark sockets. He said that he could wear a camouflage to disguise his demonic appearance, yet for some reason I could see through it. Apparently it had something to do with the contract, since I already know who he is and because we are "connected" in a sense, I could see him for what he truly was. Honestly, I don't really know the whole terms of the contract, just the basics. I didn't really care at the time to be honest, I didn't think it would concern me until certain circumstances arose.

Once the note was on the refrigerator, I shifted the bag on my back and headed down to the entrance. It would be a long day at the library, of research and note-taking. But there was still so much I had to learn about what was going on, if I had any hope of getting Mark out of this situation. I stepped down the last step of the staircase and grabbed my keys hanging on the rack. Reaching for the door, I headed out into the bright morning sun and made my way to the shed by the side of the house. Unlocking the doors, I moved them aside and walked in to grab my teal colored oldies bike. I wheeled it out onto the driveway, locked up the shed and hopped on to head off to the library. The morning was bright, slightly warm and it seemed to have promised a lot of positivity today. This gave me the motivation to believe I would discover something today. I wasn't sure what, but with things the way they are now, I was hoping a change would be coming my way soon. For better or for worse.


	20. Chapter 20

**Epilogue**

Out in the midst of a forest area, once housed a marvelous cabin in the structure of a mansion. Although now, it was reduced to rubble and dust. This mansion had the unfortunate fate to have been a battleground between two demonic entities. The battle between the red and green demons were fierce and merciless. Both were lucky to have escaped with their very lives. As of late, the reason behind this battle has been surrounded in mystery. But now, the answers will soon be revealed.

As the morning sun poured in through the holes the branches provided, a slight breeze blew through the trees. The only sound in that forest was that of the dancing of the plants and their leaves. Even though there was light there, the atmosphere gave off an unsettling nature. For in the wind, under some debris from the remainders of that mansion, lied a loose leaf paper fluttering from underneath, trying to break free. It had been there for days, and though a few tears had been made on the corners, it was still in one piece. No matter how hard the gentle wind pushed, it was not enough to free the trapped sketch from it's prison.

The snapping of twigs could be heard nearby. The wind was dying down, but its' presences was still known from the feeling it was giving to the living beings around it. The snapping were followed by the sound of footsteps, marching their way towards the small manor. The figure in black and green stared out onto the destruction that took place here. A wicked grin spread across his face, knowing that he was the cause of such devastation. It took him a few days to gain the strength to come back though, but he had to make sure the job was done. He began walking around the area where the building once was. He began to search for his last opponent, seeing if he was either dead or if he had somehow survived. Though the figure was fairly confident that he had came out to be the victor and was the only one to survive that fight. Still, he couldn't be so careless, after all there was much at stake here.

Throughout his search, the figure was unable to find the body of his fallen enemy. He sniffed the air a few times, trying to see if he could still get a scent of the other demon. The scent he was trying to pick up though was nonexistent, only the smell of flowers and sap from the trees. The green and black figured growled in annoyance and frustration. His opponent must have somehow flead the scene to try and find a place to recover. So much for that, the figure thought. If that other demon was still alive and was barely able to fight, then the green and black figured would have taken him back to his own place to try and pry some information out of him. He had so many questions and he had a feeling that red figure had the answers he was looking for. But now that he was gone and went into hiding, it would be nearly impossible to find him. He probably wasn't even in this damn state anymore.

The green demon was about to take his frustration out on a nearby tree, but his nose caught a whiff of something non-natural in the air. Following the scent, his feet soon took him to a fluttering piece of paper under a few piles of rubble. The green figure titled his head, and bent down to pick up the strange object. He dusted off the piles of house from the page and opened it, to reveal what looked like a sketch of the mansion. It wasn't exactly a perfect one, kind of cartoonish, but it certainly did resemble the very house that the demons fought in. He sniffed the paper, getting a better scent. It wasn't the demon he was smelling… but it smelt like a human. A human girl to be exact.

The green demon let out a cackle of laughter, He wasn't sure who this girl was, but now that he had her scent, he would find her soon. She must live around here, and when he would find her, she was sure to have the answers he seeked. And perhaps through her, he'll even meet up with that red demon and finally be the victor of this feud between the two. Oh yes, another fight would break out and this poor human girl would be caught in the middle of it all.

 _ **(Authors Note: Konichiwa my fellow Otakus, CosmoK13 here and I am so glad I was finally able to get this published! It took me over two weeks, but I was finally able to publish the very first season of YouTube Outcast Legends. This whole season took me six months to write and honestly, it has been a struggle. Between getting writers block and looking up many references, it wasn't the easiest thing to do. But nonetheless, I am proud of this series. Now, like the title and description states, this is only season one. There will be more to come however, don't expect the second season out next day. My plan is this, after this post, I'm going to have the Death Note Cast react to Chapter four of Bendy and the Ink Machine, then I'll be working and finishing up Life Note, after a long Hiatus and then I'll get to work on season two. That's my plan for the future. I'm also going to be making this into a comic series on my Deviantart account and will be dubbing it on my YouTube channel. You can expect to see the comic getting started during the fall, hopefully by October. I can't make any promises, considering I'm already swamped with a lot of other writing and drawing projects. But I'll do my best to deliver what I can. Now before we take a close to this series, I want to ask you all your opinions about something. I've been thinking about posting this story as well as a few others from my account and putting them onto Wattpad. I don't have an account yet, but I might be making one depending on the responses. The reason I've been thinking about it, is because I want to spread my stories further to the internet. And while I do like , there are other sites that I can upload my stories, fanfiction or not. I'm also considering getting a Tumblr as well as an Instagram to start posting some of my artwork as well as doing some ask the 'YouTube Outcast Legends cast' such as Kate Leer, Darkiplier and others that will soon follow. I might be making accounts for these other medias, but I want to make sure you guys are alright with it first because getting these new social media accounts can be a bit scary and I've been used to Deviantart and for so long… I'm not sure how others will respond to my art and stories. So let me know in the comments if you think I should go for it. Oh, and if you're curious about the YOL series, check out my Deviantart as well as my YouTube channel and there will be a trailer for part one to help you explain the situation. Before we leave, I want to give a big shout out to Monakaliza Arts, for inspiring me for making this fanfiction. I don't know if you will ever see this, but if you do, I wanted to give you a huge thanks. Don't worry, this is only the beginning, so if you were expecting more be prepared for it! Seriously guys, go check out Mona's Youtube Channel, Instagram, her Tumblr and even her Deviantart account and you'll see how she inspired me to make this story. Again, hope you all liked the first season, and be sure to let me know what you thought about it in the comments. Stay classy my Otakus and I'll be seeing you all soon.)**_


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